LIBRARY  OF  PRINCETON 

MAR  2  9  2CU5 

THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

THE 


¥  0  E  K  S 


OF   THE   LATE 


REV.   ROBERT  MURRAY  IM'^CHEYNE, 

MINISTER   OF    ST.   PETER's    CHURCH,   DUNDEE. 


COMPLETE   IN   TWO   VOLUMES. 
VOL.    II. 


SERMONS. 


♦  " 


NEW    YORK: 

ROBERT    CARTER,   58    CANAL    STREET, 

AND  PITTSBURGH,  56  MARKET  STREET. 

1847. 


H 


PREFACE. 


The  very  favorable  reception  which  the  Christian  public  has  given  to  the  "  Me- 
moir and  Remains  "  of  the  author,  by  the  Rev.  Andrew  A.  Bonar,  has  induced 
the  Editor  of  this  Volume,  with  the  sanction  and  approbation  of  a  clerical  friend 
of  great  eminence  and  piety,  intimately  acquainted  with  the  author  and  his  writ- 
ings, and  by  whom  the  greater  part  of' the  work  has  been  revised,  to  publish 
these  Additional  Remains,  consisting  of  a  selection  from  the  Sermons  delivered 
by  Mr.  M'Cheyne  in  the  course  of  his  ministry.  Like  those  annexed  to  Mr, 
Bonar's  Memoir,  they  are  printed  from  the  author's  MS.  notes,  written  as  prepa- 
rations for  the  pulpit,  but  not  intended  for  publication,  or  revised  by  him  with 
that  view. 

This  volume  contains  specimens  of  Discourses  delivered  in  all  the  years  of 
the  author's  ministry ;  and  the  places  and  dates  of  delivery  are  given  at  the  close 
of  each  Discourse,  wherever  they  have  been  marked.  The  demand  for  their 
publication  by  members  of  his  flock  and  other  friends,  many  of  whom  own  him 
as  their  spiritual  father,  has  been  loud  and  urgent.  To  all  such  the  book  will  be 
acceptable,  as  helping  "  to  stir  up  their  pure  minds  by  way  of  remembrance ;" 
and,  notwithstanding  many  imperfections,  which,  in  the  circumstances  of  its 
publication,  have  been  unavoidable,  the  Editor  hopes  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
it  may  be  useful  to  others  also  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall. 

Edihburgb,  JVovember,  1846. 


• 


CONTENTS 


SERMONS. 

PAOK 

I.  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life. — Johx  x\*.,  6          ,        .  9 
II.  Consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  Profession. — 

Heb.  iii.,  1 14 

III.  As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters. — 

Song  of  Solomon,  ii.,  2,  3 *       20 

A  IV.  It  is  unreasonable  in  unconverted  persons  to  make  mirth. — 

Ezek.  xxi.,  9,  10 26 

V.  Christ  offers  himself  a  Saviour  to  all  the  human  race — Prov. 

viii.,  4 33 

VI.  The  subject  of  John's  preaching. — 1  John  i.,  1-4       ...  38 

Vll.  The  believer  is  Christ's  garden. — Song  iv.,  12  ....  44 

VIII.  The  Redeemer's  goodness  to  a  believing  soul. — Song  viii.,  5-7  48 

IX.  John's  vision. — Rev.  vii.,  9  to  end     .                 ....  51 

X.  Christ  a  merciful  High  Priest.— Heb.  ii.,  16-18         ...  55 
XI.  (Ordination  Sermon.)  Position  and  duties  of  Ministers. — 2  Tim. 

iv.,  1,  2 60 

XII.  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear. — 1  John  iv.,  18-21        ...  71 

XIII.  Glorying  in  the  Cross. — Gal.  vi.,  14 76 

XIV.  The  good  vs^ay  of  coming  before  the  Lord. — Micah  vi.,  6-8        .  81 
XV.  A  believer  delights  in  the  law  of  God. — Rom.  vii.,  22-25          .  86 

XVI.  The  broken  heart.— Psalm  Ii.,  17 92 

XVII.  The  fearful  condition  of  natural  men. — Psalm  Iviii.,  3-5  .         .  95^ 

XVIII.  The  impressions  of  natural  men  are  fading. — Hosea  vi.,  4          .  99 

XIX.  Do  what  you  can. — Mark  xiv.,  8 105 

XX.  Motives  for  laying  hold  of  Jesus. — Song  iii.,  4          .         .         .  109 

XXI.  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory. — Col.  i.,  27     .         .         .         .  HI 

XXII.  A  Castaway.— 1  Cor.  ix.,  26,  27 115 

XXIII.  (Communion  Sermon.)    Christ's  Prayer  to  the  Father. — John 

xvii.,  24 120 

XXIV.  The  voice  of  my  beloved.— Song  of  Solomon  ii.,  8-17       .        .  131 


Tl 


CONTENTS. 


XXV. 
XXVI. 


XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

.  XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XLIII. 

XLIV. 

.     XLV. 

XLVI. 

XLVII. 

XLVIII. 

XLIX. 

L. 

LI. 

LII. 

LIII. 

LIV. 

LV. 

LVI. 

LVII. 

LVIII. 

LIX. 

•       LX. 

LXI. 

LXII. 

LXIII. 

LXIV. 

^     LXV. 

LXVI. 

LXVII. 

LXVIII. 


Our  duty  to  Israel. — Rom.  i.,  16         .         .         . 

Blessed  are  the  dead. — Rev.  xiv.,  13 

Address  on  the  close  of  a  Communion  Sabbath 

"         after  the  Communion 
Turn  ye  at  my  reproof. — Prov.  i.,  20-23 
A  son  honoreth  his  father. — Mai.  i.,  6 
The  difficulty  and  desirableness  of  conversion. — Ps.  xl., 
The  love  of  Christ  constraineth. — 2  Cor.  v.,  14 
Arise,  shine. — Isa.  Ix.,  1-3       .... 
Melting  the  betrayer. — Johnxiii.,21 
I  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness. — Isa.  xiii., 
Return  unto  me. — Isa.  xliv.,  21,  22    .... 
I  will  pour  water. — Isa.  xliv.,  3,  4     . 
God  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground. — 1  Sam.  iii. 
The  work  of  the  Spirit. — Gen.  i.,  2 
Moses  and  Hobab. — Numb,  x.,  29     . 
Comfort  ye.— Isa.  xl.,  1,2  .... 

Can  a  woman  forget  ? — Isa.  xlix.,  14, 15 
Thanksgiving  obtains  the  Spirit. — 2  Chron.  v.,  13,  14 
An  exceeding  good  land. — Numb,  xiv.,  7,  8 
Family  government. — Gen.  xviii.,  19 
And  in  this  mountain. — Isa.  xxv.,  6,  8      . 
The  heart  deceitful. —  Jer.  vii.,  9,  10 
Trust  in  the  Lord.— Prov.  iii.,  5       .         .         . 
Not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly.— Rom.  ii.,  28,  29 
Jesus's  compassion  on  the  multitudes. — Matt,  ix.,  35-38 
Christ's  love  to  the  Church. — Eph.  v.,  25-27    . 
Christ  became  poor  for  sinners. — 2  Cor.  viii.,  9 
Enemies  reconciled  through  death. — Col.  i.,  22-23 
My  God,  my  God. — Matt,  xxvii.,  46. 
Death  of  Stephen. — Acts  vii.,  59 
Time  is  short.— 1  Cor.  vii.,  29-31     . 
Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus. — John  xii.,  20-26 
Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens.— Cant,  viii.,  13,  14 
Draw  water  with  joy. — Isa.  xii.,  1-3 
Look  to  a  pierced  Christ. — Zech.  xii ,  10,  %\\\.,  1 
I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh. — Cant,  v.,  2,  to  the  end 
A  thorn  in  the  flesh.— 2  Cor.  xii.,  7-10     . 
The  second  advent. — Mark  xiii.,  34-37     . 
Lot's  wife. — Gen.  xix.,  28         ...         . 
Happy  art  thou,  0  Israel ! — Deut.  xxxiii.,  29     . 
Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee. — Ruth  i.,  16 
The  vision  of  dry  bones. — Ezek.  xxxvii.,  1-14 
Christ  the  only  refuge. — Isa.  xxxvi.,  20 
Will  ye  also  go  away  .' — John  vi.,  66-68    . 
Ye  will  not  come  to  me. — John  v.,  40 


5-8 


19 


139 
146 
151 
156 
158 
166 
172 
179 
188 
193 
201 
206 
211 
217 
224 
229 
234 
239 
244 
249 
254 
257 
262 
267 
273 
279 
285 
2S9 
295 
301 
306 
311 
318 
323 
329 
334 
340 
346 
350 
355 
362 
370 
374 


394 


CONTENTS. 


vu 


LXIX.  If  any  man  thirst. — John  vii.,  37 
LXX.  Conviction  of  sin. — John  xvi.,  8 
LXXI.  Conviction  of  righteousness. — John  xvi.,  8 
.  LXXII.  My  Lord,  and  my  God  !— John  xx.,  2C-2S 
LXXIII.  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you  ? — John  xiv 
r  •    LXXIV.  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ. — Rom 

35-37     ...  

LXXV.  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman. — Job  xiv.,  1,2. 
LXXVI.  Christ  a  law-magnifying  Saviour.— Isa.  xlii.,  18-21 
LXXVII.  The  obedience  and  disobedience  of  one.— Rom.  v.,  19 
LXXVIII.  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver. — 2  Pet.  ii.,  9 
LXXIX.  Diligence  necessary. — 2  Pet.  iii.,  14         .        .         . 
.      LXXX.  Follow  the  Lord  fully.— Numb,  xiv.,  21  . 

LXXXL  The  unworthy  communicant  warned. — 1  Cor.  xi.,  29,  30 
■"  LXXXII.  Mcj-e  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. — Acts  xx.,  35 
LXXXIII.  Christ's  silence  under  suffering. — Isa.  liii.,7   . 
LXXXIV.  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks. — Ps.  xiii.,  1 
LXXXV.  The  fight  of  faith.— 2  Tim.  iv.,  7,  8 
LXXXVI.  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit. — Ps.  xxxi.,5 
LXXXVII.  Grey  hairs  are  upon  him. — Hos.  vii.,  9     . 
LXXXVIII  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit.— Eph.  iv.,  30 
LXXXIX.  Ye  will  not  come  to  me. — John  v.,  40 

XC.  Not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel.— Rom,  i.,  15-18 


PAOB 

400 

406 
414 
424 
429 

435 

441 

444 

450 

456 

459 

463 

470 

476 

482 

488  ^ 

494- 

497 

500 

505 

509 

513 


• 


PEIITCETOIT    ^^ 
SERMONS,  &o. 

SERMON  I. 

"  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;  no  man  cometh  to 
the  Father  but  by  me." — John  xiv.,  6. 

It  is  the  saying  of  an  old  divine,  that  God  often  orders  it,  that 
when  he  is  in  hand  with  the  greatest  mercies  for  us,  then  we  are 
most  of  all  sinning  against  him  ;  which  he  doth  to  magnify  his 
love  the  more. 

In  the  words  I  have  read,  we  find  an  example  of  this.  At  no 
time  did  the  heart  of  Jesus  overflow  with  a  tenderer  and  a  more 
sovereign  love  to  his  disciples,  than  when  he  said,  '•  Let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled."  They  were  troubled  by  many  things.  He 
hid  told  them  that  he  was  going  to  leave  them  ;  he  had  told  them 
that  one  should  betray  him  ;  that  another  should  deny  him  ;  that 
they  should  all  be  offended  because  of  him  that  very  night ;  and 
perhaps  they  thought  he  was  going  from  them  in  anger.  But, 
whatever  the  cause  of  their  trouble  was,  Jesus's  bosom  was  like  a 
vessel  full  to  overflowing,  and  these  words  were  the  overlipping 
drops  of  love — "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled :  ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  me."  Surely  such  words  of  confiding  tender- 
ness were  never  whispered  in  this  cold  world  before ;  and  O 
then,  think  how  cold,  how  dark,  how  dull  is  the  question  with 
which  Thomas  breaks  in  upon  the  heavenly  discourse  ;  "  Thomas 
saith  unto  him,  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  thou  goest,  and  how 
can  we  know  the  way  ?"  And  yet  how  condescendingly  does 
Jesus  bear  with  their  cold-hearted  dulness  !  How  lovingly  does 
he  begin  the  very  alphabet  of  salvation  with  them,  and  not  only 
answers,  but  over-answers  Thomas — gives  him  more  than  he 
could  ask  or  think.  He  asked  about  the  way  and  the  place,  but 
Christ  answers,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;  no  man 
cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  Regarding  this,  then,  as  a 
complete  description  of  the  gospel  salvation,  let  us  go  over  the 
difierent  parts  of  it. 

I.  Christ  is  the  Way. — "  I  am  the  way ;  no  man  cometh,"  &c. 
The  whole  Bible  bears  witness  that  by  nature  we  have  no  way  to 


10  SERMON    I. 

the  Father.  We  are  by  nature  full  of  sin,  and  God  is  by  nature 
infinitely  holy  ;  that  is,  he  shrinks  away  from  sin.  Just  as  the 
sensitive  plant,  by  its  very  nature,  shrinks  away  from  the  touch 
of  a  human  hand,  so  God,  by  his  very  nature,  shrinks  away  from 
the  touch  of  sin.  He  is  everlastingly  separate  from  sinners  ;  he 
is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity. 

1.  This  was  impressively  taught  to  Adam  and  the  patriarchs. 
As  long  as  Adam  walked  holily,  God  dwelt  in  h;m,  and  walked  in 
him,  and  communed  with  him  ;  but  when  Adam  fell,  "  Gc  d  drove 
the  man  out  of  paradise  ;  and  he  placed  at  the  cast  of  the  garden 
of  Eden,  cherubim  and  a  flaming  sword,  which  turned  every  way 
to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  lile."  This  flaming  sword  between 
the  cherubim  was  a  magnificent  emblem  of  God — the  just  and  sin- 
hating  God.  In  the  bush,  he  appeared  to  Moses  as  a  consuming 
fire — in  the  temple,  lie  appeared  between  the  cherubim  in  the 
milder  glory  of  the  Shecinah  ;  but  here  he  appeared  between  the 
cherubim  as  a  sword — a  just  and  sin-hating  God.  And  I  beseech 
you  to  remark,  that  this  flaming  sword  turned  every  way,  to  keep 
the  way  of  the  tree  of  life.  If  it  had  not  turned  every  way,  if  it 
had  lelt  some  foot-path  unglarcd  across,  then  Adam  might  have 
stolen  in  by  that  foot-path,  and  made  his  ow^n  way  to  the  tree  of 
life.  But  no :  whatever  avenue  he  tried — however  secret,  how- 
ever narrow,  however  steep  and  difficult — how'ever  Silently  he 
crept  along,  still  this  flaming  meteor  met  him,  and  it  seemed  to 
say,  "  How  can  man  be  just  with  God  ?  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
there  shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified."  Well  might  Adam  sit 
down,  wearied  with  the  vain  search  for  a  pathway  into  life  ;  for 
man  by  nature  has  no  way  to  the  Father. 

But  Christ  says,  "lam  the  way."  As  he  says  in  the  16th 
Psalm,  "  Thou  wilt  show  me  the  path  of  life."  No  man  could  find 
out  this  path  of  life  ;  but  Jesus  sa\s,  "  Thou  wilt  show  it  me  ;  in 
thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy  ;  at  thy  right  hand  are  pleasures  for 
evermore."  Jesus  pitied  the  poor  sons  of  Adam  vainly  struggling 
to  find  out  a  way  into  the  paradise  of  God,  and  he  left  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  just  that  he  might  open  up  a  way  for  us  into  the 
bosom  of  the  Father.  And  how  did  he  do  it?  Was  it  by 
escaping  the  vigilance  of  the  flaming  sword  ?  No  ;  for  it  turned 
every  way.  Was  it  by  exerting  his  divine  authority,  and  com- 
manding the  glittering  blade  to  withdraw?  No;  lor  that  would 
have  been  to  dishonor  his  Father's  law,  instead  of  magnifying  it. 
He  therefore  became  a  man  in  our  stead,  yea,  became  sin.  God 
caused  to  meet  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all.  He  advanced  in 
our  stead  to  meet  that  fiery  meteor ;  he  fell  beneath  its  piercing 
blade  ;  for  he  remembered  the  w^ord  of  the  Prophet,  which  is 
written,  "  Awake,  O  sword  !  against  my  shepherd,  and  against 
the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts." 

And  now,  since  the  glittering  blade  is  bathed  in  the  side  of  the 
Redeemer,  the  guiltiest  of  sinners,  whoever  you  be,  whatever  you 


SERMON    I.  11 

be,  may  enter  in  over  his  bleeding  body,  may  find  access  to  the 
paradise  of  God,  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  live  for  ever.  Come 
quickly — doubt  not ;  for  he  says,  /  am  the  way. 

2.  The  same  fact — that  man  has  by  nature  no  way  to  the 
Father — was  impressively  taught  to  Moses  and  tlie  people  of 
Israel. 

When  God  condescended  to  dwell  among  the  children  of  Israel, 
he  dwelt  peculiarly  in  the  holiest  of  all — the  innermost  apartment 
of  the  Jewish  temple.  There  the  visible  token  of  his  presence 
rested  between  the  cherubim — at  one  time  described  to  us  as  a 
light  inaccessible  and  full  of  glory — at  another  time  as  a  cloud 
that  filled  the  temple.  But  this  innermost  apartment,  or  holiest  of 
all  (or  secret  place,  as  it  is  called  in  the  Psalms),  was  separated 
from  the  holy  place  by  a  curtain  or  veil,  and  through  that  veil  no 
man  was  allowed  to  pass,  lest  he  should  die,  except  the  High 
Priest,  who  entered  in,  once  in  the  year,  not  without  blood. 
Now,  no  picture  could  express  more  plainly  that  the  way  into  the 
holiest  was  not  made  manifest — that  no  sinful  man  has  any  way  of 
coming  into  the  presence  of  God. 

But  Jesus  says,  "  I  am  the  way."  Jesus  was  grieved  that  we 
were  shut  out  from  the  holiest  of  all,  from  the  presence  of  God ; 
for  he  knew  by  experience  that  in  that  presence  there  is  fulness  of 
joy.  But  how  did  he  open  the  way  ?  Did  he  pull  aside  the  veil, 
that  we  might  steal  in  secretly  and  easily  into  the  presence  of  the 
Father  ?  No  :  but  he  offered  himself,  an  offering  to  satisfy  Divine 
justice,  and  reconcile  us  to  God.  "  He  said.  It  is  finished,  and 
bowed  his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  And,  behold,  the  veil  of 
the  temple  was  rent  in  twain,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom."  It  is 
finished  ;  the  punishment  of  the  law  is  borne,  the  demands  of  the 
law.  are  answered,  the  way  is  finished,  the  veil  is  rent,  from  the 
top  to  the  bottom  !  Not  a  shred  of  the  dreadful  curtain  now  re- 
mains to  intercept  us.  The  guiltiest,  the  vilest  sinner  of  you  all, 
has  now  liberty  to  enter  in  through  the  rent  veil,  under  the  light 
of  Jehovah's  countenance,  to  dwell  in  the  secret  of  his  tabernacle, 
to  behold  his  beauty,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple. 

And  now,  my  friends,  is  this  your  way  of  coming  to  the  Father  ? 
Christ  says,  "  I  am  the  way  ;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but 
by  me."  If,  then,  you  will  still  keep  to  your  own  way,  whatever 
it  may  be,  whether  it  be  the  way  of  tears,  or  penances,  or  vows 
of  amendment,  or  hopes  that  God  will  not  deal  strictly — if  you 
will  not  be  warned,  you  will  find  in  the  judgment-day  that  the 
cherubic  sword  turned  every  way,  and  that  you  are  left  a  prey  to 
the  consuming  fire. 

But  oh  I  if  there  be  one  soul  that  can  find  no  peace  in  any  self- 
righteous  way,  if  there  be  one  of  you  who  finds  that  you  are  lost 
in  yourself,  behold  Christ  says  to  you,  "  I  am  (he  way,"  as  he 
says  in  another  place,  "  I  am  the  door."  It  is  a  full,  free,  and  open 
way,  and  it  is  a  way  for  sinners.     Why  wait  a  moment  longer  ? 


12  SERMON    I 

There  was  once  a  partition  wall  between  you  and  God ;  but 
Christ  hath  cast  it  down.  God  was  once  angry  ;  but  his  anger  is 
turned  away  from  the  blessed  path.  In  Christ  he  is  ever  well 
pleased. 

11.  Christ  is  the  Truth. — The  whole  Bible,  and  the  whole  of 
experience,  bear  witness  that  by  nature  we  are  ignorant  of  the 
truth.  No  doubt  there  are  many  truths  which  an  unconverted 
man  does  know.  He  may  know  the  truths  of  mathematics  and 
arithmetic,  he  may  know  many  of  the  common  every-day  truths  ; 
but  still  it  cannot  be  said  that  an  unconverted  man  knows  the 
truth,  for  Christ  is  the  truth.  Christ  may  be  called  the  key-stone 
of  the  arch  of  truth.  Take  away  the  key-stone  of  an  arch,  and  the 
whole  becomes  aheap  of  rubbish.  The  very  same  stones  may  be 
there,  but  they  are  all  fallen,  smothered,  and  confused,  without 
order,  without  end.  Just  so  ;  take  Christ  away,  and  the  whole 
arch  of  truth  becomes  a  heap  of  rubbish.  The  very  same  truths 
may  be  there  ;  but  they  are  all  fallen,  without  coherence,  without 
order,  without  end.  Christ  may  be  called  the  sun  of  the  system 
of  truth.  ,  Take  away  the  sun  out  of  our  system,  and  every  planet 
would  rush  into  confusion.  The  very  same  planets  would  be 
there ;  but  their  conflicting  forces  would  draw  them  hither  and 
thither,  orb  dashing  against  orb  in  endless  perplexity.  Just  so  ; 
take  Christ  away,  and  the  whole  system  of  truth  rushes  into  con- 
fusion. The  same  truths  may  be  in  the  mind,  but  all  conflicting 
and  jarring  in  inextricable  mazes  ;  for  "  the  path  of  the  wicked  is 
as  darkness  ;  they  know  not  at  what  they  stumble."  But  let 
Christ  be  revealed  to  an  unconverted  soul,  let  it  not  be  merely  a 
man  speaking  about  Christ  unto  him,  but  let  the  spirit  of  God  reveal 
him,  and  there  is  revealed,  not  a  truth,  but  the  truth.  You  put 
the  key-stone  into  the  arch  of  truth;  you  restore  the  sun  to  ihe 
centre  of  the  system.  All  truth  becomes  orderly  and  serviceable 
in  that  mind. 

Now  he  knows  the  truth  with  regard  to  himself.  Did  the  Son 
of  God  really  leave  the  bosom  of  the  Father  to  bear  wrath  in  our 
stead  ?  then  I  must  be  under  wrath.  Did  the  Lord  Jesus  become 
a  servant,  that  he  might  obey  the  will  of  God  instead  of  sinners  ? 
then  1  must  be  without  any  righteousness — a  child  of  disobedi- 
ence. 

Again,  knowing  Christ,  he  knows  the  truth  with  regard  to  God. 
Did  God  freely  give  up  his  Son  to  the  death  for  us  all  1  then,  if  I 
believe  in  Jesus,  there  is  no  condemnation  to  me.  God  is  my  Fa- 
ther, and  God  is  love. 

My  friends,  have  you  seen  Christ,  who  is  the  truth  ?  Has  he 
been  revealed  to  you,  not  my  flesh  and  blood,  but  by  the  Spirit  of 
our  God  ?  Then  you  know  how  true  it  is  that  in  him  "  are  hid  all 
the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge" — that  he  is  the  "  Alpha 
and  Omega,"  the  beginning  and  the  ending  of  all  knowledge.    But 


SERMON    I.  13 

if  you  have  not  seen  Christ,  then  you  know  nothing  yet  as  you 
ought  to  know  ;  all  your  knowledge  is  like  a  bridge  without  a  key- 
stone, like  a  system  without  a  sun.  What  good  will  it  do  you  in 
hell,  that  you  knew  all  the  sciences  in  the  world,  all  the  events  of 
history,  and  all  the  busy  politics  of  your  little  day  ?  Do  you  not 
know  that  your  very  knowledge  will  be  turned  into  an  instrument 
of  torture  in  hell  ?  Oh,  how  will  you  wish  in  that  day  that  you 
had  read  your  newspaper  less  and  your  Bible  more  ;  that  with  all 
your  getting  you  had  got  understanding  ;  that  with  all  your  know- 
ledge you  had  known  the  Saviour,  whom  to  know  is  life  everlast- 
ing. 

III.  Christ  is  the  Life. — The  whole  Bible  bears  witness  that  by 
nature  we  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins — that  we  are  as  unable 
to  walk  holily  in  the  world  as  a  dead  man  is  unable  to  rise  and 
walk. 

Both  Scripture  and  experience  alike  testify  that  we  are  by  na- 
ture dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  and  yet  it  is  not  a  death  in  which 
we  are  wholly  inactive,  for  in  it  we  are  said  to  walk  according  to 
the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air. 

This  truth  is  taught  us  impressively  in  that  vision  of  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,  where  he  was  carried  out  by  the  Spirit,  and  set  down  in 
the  midst  of  an  open  valley,  full  of  dry  bones  ;  and  as  he  passed  by 
them  round  about,  behold  there  were  very  many  in  the  open  val- 
ley, and  lo  !  they  were  very  dry. 

Just  such  is  the  view  which  every  child  of  God  gets  of  the 
world.  The  dry  bones  are  very  many,  and  they  are  very  dry  ; 
and  he  asks  the  same  question  which  God  asked  of  Ezekiel — "  Can 
these  bones  live  ?"  Oh  yes,  my  friends  ;  and  does  not  experience 
teach  you  the  same  thing.  True,  the  dead  cannot  know  that  they 
are  dead;  and  yet,  if  the  Lord  touch  your  heart,  you  will  find  it 
out :  we  prophesy  to  dry  bones ;  for  this  is  the  Lord's  way ;  while 
we  prophesy  the  breath  enters  in.  Look  back  over  your  life  then. 
See  how  you  have  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this'  world. 
You  have  always  been  like  a  man  swimming  with  the  stream, 
never  like  a  man  swimming  against  the  current.  Look  into  your 
heart,  and  see  how  it  has  turned  against  all  the  commandments  ; 
you  feel  the  Sabbath  to  be  a  weariness — instead  of  calling  it  a  de- 
light and  honorable.  If  ever  you  tried  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God;  if  ever  you  tried  to  keep  your  eyes  from  unlawful  desires, 
your  tongue  from  words  of  anger,  or  gossiping,  or  bitterness,  your 
heart  from  malice,  and  envy,  and  covetousness  ;  if  ever  you  have 
tried  this,  and  I  fancy  most  unconverted  men  have  tried  it ;  if  ever 
you  have  tried  this,  did  you  not  find  it  impossible  ?  It  was  like 
raising  the  dead.  Did  you  not  find  a  struggle  against  yourself? 
O  how  plain  that  you  are  dead — not  born  again.  Marvel  not  that 
we  say  unto  you,  ye  must  be  born  again.     You  must  be  joined  to 


j> 


14  SERMON   II. 

Christ,  for  Christ  is  the  life.  Suppose  it  were  possible  for  a  dead 
limb  to  be  joined  into  a  living  body,  so  completely  that  all  the  veins 
should  receive  the  purple  tide  of  living  blood  ;  suppose  bone  to 
join  on  to  bone,  and  sinew  to  sinew,  and  nerve  to  nerve,  do  you 
not  see  that  that  limb,  however  dead  before,  would  become  a  living 
limb.  Before,  it  was  cold,  and  stiff,  and  motionless,  and  full  of 
corruption  ;  now,  it  is  warm  and  pliable,  and  full  of  life  and  mo- 
tion. It  is  a  living  limb,  because  joined  on  to  that  which  is  life. 
Or,  suppose  it  possible  for  a  withered  branch  to  be  grafted  into  a 
living  vine,  so  completely  that  all  the  channels  should  receive  the 
flow  of  the  generous  sap,  do  you  not  see  that  that  branch,  how- 
ever dead  before,  becomes  a  living  branch?  Before,  it  was  dry, 
and  fruitless,  and  withered  ;  now,  it  is  full  of  sap,  of  life,  and  vigor. 
It  is  a  living  branch,  for  it  is  joined  to  the  vine,  which  is  its  life. 
Well,  then,  just  in  the  same  way,  Christ  is  the  life  of  every  soul 
that  cleaves  to  him.  He  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit. 
Is  your  soul  like  a  dead  limb — cold,  stiff,  motionless,  and  full  of 
corruption  ?  Cleave  you  to  Christ ;  be  joined  to  him  by  faith,  and 
you  shall  be  one  spirit ;  you  shall  be  made  warm,  and  vigorous, 
and  full  of  activity,  in  God's  service. 

Is  your  soul  like  a  withered  branch,  dry,  fruitless,  and  withered, 
wanting  both  leaves  and  fruit  ?  Cleave  you  to  Christ ;  be  joined 
to  him,  and  you  shall  be  one  spirit,  You  will  find  it  true  that 
Christ  is  the  life ;  your  life  will  be  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  You 
will  soy,  I  live  ;  "  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life 
which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.*' 

Remember,  then,  my  unbelieving  friends,  the  only  way  for  you 
to  become  holy  is  to  become  united  to  Christ.  And  remember 
you,  my  believing  friends,  that  if  ever  you  are  relaxing  in  holiness. 
the  reason  is,  you  are  relaxing  your  hold  on  Christ.  Abide  in  me, 
and  I  in  you,  so  shall  ye  bear  much  fruit.  Severed  from  me,  ye 
can  do  nothing. 

Dundee,  1836. 


SERMON  II. 

"  Consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus." — Heb.  lii.,  1. 

When  a  traveller  passes  very  rapidly  through  a  country,  the  eye 
has  no  time  to  rest  upon  the  different  objects  in  it,  so  that,  when 
he  comes  to  the  end  of  his  journey,  no  distinct  impressions  have 
been  made  upon  his  mind  ;  he  has  only  a  confused  notion  of  the 
country  through  which  he  has  travelled. 

This  explains  how  it  is  that  death,  judgment,  eternity,  make  so 


8KRM0N   II.  15 

little  impression  upon  most  men's  minds.  Most  people  never  stop 
to  think,  but  liurry  on  through  life,  and  find  themselves  in  eternity 
before  they  have  once  put  the  question,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  ?"  iMore  souls  are  lost  through  want  of  consideration  than 
in  any  other  way. 

The  reason  why  men  are  not  awakened  and  made  anxious  for 
their  souls  is,  that  the  devil  never  gives  them  time  to  consider. 
Therefore  God  cries,  Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think.  Consider 
your  ways.  "Othat  you  were  wise,  that  you  understood  this, 
that  you  considered  your  latter  end."  And,  again,  he  cries,  "  Israel 
doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  consider." 

In  the  same  way  does  the  devil  try  to  make  the  children  of  God 
doubt  if  there  be  a  Providence.  He  hurries  them  away  to  the 
shop  and  market.  Lose  no  time,  he  says,  but  make  money. 
Therefore  God  cries,  Stop,  poor  smner,  stop  and  think  ;  and  Jesus 
says,  "  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field  how  they  grow  ;  consider 
the  ravens,  which  have  neither  storehouse  nor  barn." 

Ill  the  same  way  does  the  Devil  try  to  make  the  children  of 
God  live  uncomfortable  and  unholy  lives.  He  beguiles  them  away 
from  simply  looking  to  Jesus  :  he  hurries  them  away  to  look  at  a 
thousand  other  things,  as  he  led  Peter,  walking  on  the  sea,  to  look 
round  at  the  waves.  But  God  says,  Look  here,  consider  the  Apos- 
tle and  High  Priest  of  your  profession :  look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved  ;  run  your  race,  looking  unto  Jesus ;  consider  Christ,  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  lor  ever. 

I.  Believers  should  live  m  daily  consideration  of  the  greatness 
and  glory  of  Christ. 

(1.)  There  was  once  a  time  when  time  was  not;  when  there 
was  no  earth,  neither  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  star ;  a  time  when  you 
might  have  wandered  through  all  space,  and  never  found  a  rest- 
ing place  to  the  sole  of  your  foot ;  when  you  would  have  found 
no  creatures  anywhere,  but  God  everywhere ;  when  there  were 
no  angels  with  golden  harps  hymning  celestial  praises;  bat  God 
alone  was  all  in  all. 

Question.  Where  was  Jesus  then  ?  Ans.  He  was  with  God. 
♦'  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  ivas  with  God." 
He  was  near  to  God,  and  in  perfect  happiness  there.  "  The  Lord 
possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  his  way  ;  before  his  works  of 
old.  Then  I  was  by  him  as  one  brought  up  with  him ;  and  I  was 
daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him."  He  was  in  the 
bosom  of  God ;  "  The  only  begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Father."  He  was  in  perlect  glory  there:  "O  Father,  glorify 
thou  me  with  thyself,  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
the  world  was." 

Ques.  What  was  Jesus  then  ?  Ans.  He  was  God.  The  Word 
was  with  God,  and  "  was  God."  He  was  equal  with  the  Father. 
"  He  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."     He  was  rich. 


16  SERMON    II. 

"  He  was  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person." 

Now,  brethren,  could  I  lift  you  away  to  that  time  when  God 
was  alone  from  all  eternity.  Could  I  have  siiown  you  the  glory 
of  Jesus  then,  how  he  dwelt  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  and  was 
daily  his  delight ;  and  could  I  have  told  you  "  That  is  the  glorious 
being  who  is  to  undertake  the  cause  of  poor  lost  sinners  ;  that  is 
he  who  is  going  to  put  himself  in  their  room  and  stead,  to  suffer 
all  they  should  suffer,  and  obey  all  they  should  obey ;  consider 
Jesus  ;  look  long  and  earnestly  ;  weigh  every  consideration  in  the 
balance  of  the  soundest  judgment ;  consider  his  rank,  his  near- 
ness, his  dearness  to  God  the  Father  ;  consider  his  power,  his  glory, 
his  equality  to  the  Father  in  everything  ;  consider,  and  say,  do 
you  think  you  would  intrust  your  case  to  him  ?  Do  you  think 
he  would  be  a  sufficient  Saviour?"  O  brethren,  would  not  every 
soul  cry  out,  He  is  enough,  I  want  no  other  Saviour? 

(2.)  Again,  there  was  a  time  when  this  world  sprang  into 
being ;  when  the  sun  began  to  shine,  and  earth  and  seas  began  to 
smile.  There  was  a  time  when  myriads  of  happy  angels  spring- 
ing into  being,  first  spread  their  wings,  doing  his  commandments  ; 
when  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy. 

Ques.  What  was  Jesus  doing  then  ?  Ans.  "  Without  him  was 
not  anything  made  that  was  made."  "  By  him  were  all  things 
created  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invi- 
sible, whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or 
powers :  all  things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him."  O  bre- 
thren, could  I  lift  you  away  back  to  that  wonderful  day,  and  show 
you  Jesus  calling  all  the  angels  into  being,  hanging  the  earth 
upon  nothing ;  could  you  have  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  saying. 
Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light ;  and  could  I  have  told 
you,  "  That  is  he  who  is  yet  to  undertake  for  sinners  ;  consider 
him,  and  see  if  you  think  he  will  be  a  sufficient  Saviour  ;  look  long 
and  earnestly  ;"  good  news,  good  news  for  sinners,  if  this  mighty 
being  undertake  for  us  !  I  can  as  little  doubt  the  sureness  and 
completeness  of  my  salvation  as  I  can  doubt  the  sureness  of  the 
solid  earth  beneath  my  feet. 

(3.)  But  the  work  of  creation  is  long  since  passed.  Jesus  has 
been  upon  our  earth.  And  now  he  is  not  here  ;  he  is  risen. 
Eighteen  hundred  years  and  more  have  passed  since  Christ  was 
upon  the  earth. 

Ques.  Where  is  Jesus  now  ?  Ans.  "  He  is  set  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high."  He  is  upon  the  throne  with 
God  in  his  glorified  body,  and  his  throne  is  for  ever.  A  sceptre 
is  put  into  his  hand,  a  sceptre  of  righteousness,  and  the  oil  of  glad- 
ness is  poured  over  him.  All  power  is  given  to  him  in  heaven 
and  on  earth. 

O  brethren,  could  you  and  I  pass  this  day  through  these  hea- 


SERMON    II.  17 

vens,  and  see  what  is  now  going  on  in  the  sanctuary  above,  could 
you  see  what  the  child  of  God  now  sees  who  died  last  night; 
could  you  see  the  Lamb  with  the  scars  of  his  five  deep  wounds  in 
the  very  midst  of  the  throne,  surrounded  by  all  the  redeemed, 
every  one  having  harps  and  golden  vials  full  of  odors  ;  could 
you  see  the  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  whose  number 
is  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands, 
all  singing,  Worthy  is  the  "  Lamb  that  was  slain ;"  and  were  one 
of  these  angels  to  tell  you,  "  This  is  he  that  undertook  the  cause  of 
lost  sinners  ;  he  undertook  to  bear  their  curse  and  to  do  their 
obedience  ;  he  undertook  to  be  the  second  Adam,  the  man  in  tiieir 
stead,  and  lo  !  there  he  is  upon  the  throne  of  heaven  ;  consider 
him  ;  look  long  and  earnestly  upon  his  wounds,  upon  his  glory, 
and  tell  me  do  you  think  it  would  be  safe  to  trust  him  ?  Do  you 
think  his  sufferings  and  obedience  will  have  been  enough  ?"  Yes, 
yes,  every  soul  exclaims.  Lord,  it  is  enough  1  Lord,  stay  thy 
hand  !  Show  me  no  more,  for  I  can  bear  no  more.  Or  rather 
let  me  ever  stand  and  gaze  upon  the  Almighty,  all-worthy,  all- 
divine  Saviour,  till  my  soul  drink  in  complete  assurance  that  his 
work  undertaken  for  sinners  is  a  finished  work.  Yes,  though  the 
sins  of  all  the  world  were  on  my  one  wicked  head,  still  I  could 
not  doubt  that  his  work  is  complete,  and  that  I  am  quite  safe 
when  I  believe  in  him. 

/  would  now  plead  with  believers.  Some  of  you  have  really 
been  brought  by  God  to  believe  in  Jesus.  Yet  you  have  no 
abiding  peace,  and  very  little  growing  in  holiness.  Why  is  this  ? 
It  is  because  your  eye  is  fixed  anywhere  but  on  Christ.  You  are 
so  busy  looking  at  books,  or  looking  at  men,  or  looking  at  the 
world,  that  you  have  no  time,  no  heart,  for  looking  at  Christ. 

No  wonder  you  have  little  peace  and  joy  in  believing.  No 
wonder  you  live  so  inconsistent  and  unholy  a  life.  Change  your 
plan.  Consider  the  greatness  and  glory  of  Christ,  who  has  under- 
taken all  in  the  stead  of  sinners,  and  you  would  find  it  quite  impos- 
sible to  walk  in  darkness,  or  to  walk  in  sin.  O  what  mean,  despi- 
cable thoughts  you  have  of  the  glorious  Immanuel  I  Lift  your 
eyes  from  your  own  bosom,  downcast  believer  ;  look  upon  Jesus. 
It  is  good  to  consider  your  ways,  but  it  is  far  better  to  consider 
Christ. 

/  would  now  invite  anxious  souls.  Anxious  soul  I  have  you 
understood  all  the  glory  of  Christ  ?  Have  you  understood  that 
he  undertook  for  guilty  sinners  ?  And  do  you  doubt  if  he  be  a 
sufficient  Saviour  1  Oh,  what  mean  views  you  have  of  Christ  if 
you  dare  not  risk  your  soul  upon  him  ? 

Objection.  I  do  not  doubt  that  Christ  has  suffered  and  done 
quite  enough,  but  I  fear  it  was  for  others,  and  not  for  me.  If  I 
were  sure  it  was  for  me,  I  would  be  quite  happy.  Ans.  It  is  no- 
where said  in  the  Bible,  that  Christ  died  for  this  sinner  or  that  sin- 
ner. If  you  are  waiting  till  you  find  your  own  name  in  the  Bible, 
2 


18  SERMON   II. 

you  will  wait  for  ever.  But  it  is  said  a  few  verses  before  that, 
*»  He  tasted  death  for  every  man  ;"  and  again,  "  He  is  the  propi- 
tiation for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  Not  that  all  men  are 
saved  by  him.  Ah,  no  ;  the  most  never  come  to  Jesus,  and  are 
lost ;  but  this  shows  that  any  sinner  may  come,  even  the  chief  of 
sinners,  and  take  Christ  as  his  own  Saviour.  Come  you,  then, 
anxious  soul ;  say  you,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress  !  and 
then,  be  anxious  if  you  can. 

II.   Consider  Christ  as  the  Apostle,  or  Messenger  of  God. 

The  word  Apostle  means  messenger;  one  ordained  and  sent  on 
a  particular  embassy.  Now  Christ  is  an  Apostle,  for  God  ordain- 
ed and  sent  him  into  the  world. 

In  the  Old  Testament,  the  name  by  which  he  is  oftenest  called 
is  the  Angel  of  the  Lord,  or  the  Messenger  of  the  Covenant.  He 
is  called  God's  Elect,  chosen  for  the  work  ;  he  is  called  God's  ser- 
vant ;  he  is  called  the  Messiah,  or  the  Christ,  or  the  Anointed, 
because  God  anointed  him  and  sent  him  to  the  work.  In  the  New 
Testament,  over  and  over  again- Christ  calls  himself,  the  sent  of 
God.  "  As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world,  so  have  I  sent  them 
into  the  world,  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me." 
"And  these  have  known  that  thou  hast  sent  me."  All  this  shows 
plainly  that  it  is  not  the  Son  alone  who  is  interested  in  the  saving 
of  poor  sinners,  but  the  Father  also.  "  The  Father  sent  his  Son  to 
be  the  Saviour  of  the  world." 

Objection. — True,  Christ  is  a  great  and  glorious  Saviour,  and 
able  to  accomplish  anything  to  save  poor  sinners ;  but  perhaps 
God  the  Father  may  not  agree  to  pour  out  his  wrath  upon  his 
Son,  or  to  accept  of  his  Son  as  a  surety  in  our  stead.  Ans.  Look 
here,  Christ  is  the  Apostle  of  God.  It  is  as  much  God  the  Fa- 
ther's work,  as  it  is  Christ's  work.  It  occupied  as  much  of  the  heart 
of  God  as  ever  it  did  of  the  heart  of  Christ.  God  loved  the  world, 
as  much  and  truly  as  ever  Christ  loved  the  world.  God  gave  his 
Son,  as  much  as  Christ  gave  himself  for  us.  So,  God  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  as  much  interested  in  it  as  the  Father  and  Son.  God 
gave  his  Son  ;.the  Spirit  anointed  him  and  dwelt  in  him  without 
measure.  At  his  baptism  God  acknowledged  him  tor  his  beloved 
Son  ;  the  Holy  Spirit  came  on  him  like  a  dove. 

O  brethren,  could  I  lift  you  away  to  the  eternity  that  is  past, 
could  I  bring  you  into  the  council  of  the  eternal  Three,  and  as  it 
was  once  said,  "  Let  us  make  man  ;"  could  1  let  you  hear  the  word, 
"  Let  us  save  man ;"  could  I  show  you  how  God  from  all  eternity 
designed  his  Son  to  undertake  for  poor  sinners ;  how  it  was  the 
very  plan  and  the  bottommost  desire  of  the  heart  of  the  F'ather 
that  Jesus  should  come  into  the  world  and  do  and  die  in  the  stead 
of  sinners ;  how  the  Holy  Spirit  breathed  sweetest  incense,  and 
dropped  like  holiest  oil  upon  the  head  of  the  descending  Saviour; 
could  I  show  you  the  intense  interest  with  which  the  eye  of  God 


SERMON    II.  19 

followed  Jesus  through  his  whole  course  of  sorrow,  and  suffering, 
and  death ;  could  1  show  you  the  anxious  haste  with  which  God 
rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  sepulchre  while  it  was  yet  dark, 
for  he  would  not  leave  his  soul  in  hell,  neither  suffer  his  Holy  One 
to  see  corruption  ;  could  I  show  you  the  ecstasies  of  love  and  joy 
that  beat  in  the  bosom  of  the  infinite  God  when  Jesus  ascended  to 
his  Father  and  our  Fatier;  how  he  welcomed  him  with  a  fulness 
of  kindness  and  grace  which  God  alone  could  give,  and  God  alone 
could  receive,  saying,  "  Thou  art  my  son,  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee  ;  thou  art  indeed  worthy  to  be  called  my  Son  ;  never  till  this 
day  wast  thou  so  worthy  to  be  called  mine  ;  thy  throne,  O  God, 
is  for  ever  and  ever;  sit  thou  on  my  right  hand  until  I  make  thine 
enemies  thy  footstool."  O  sinner,  will  you  ever  doubt  any  more 
whether  God  the  Father  be  seeking  thy  salvation,  whether  the 
heart  of  Christ  and  of  his  Father  be  the  same  in  this  one  grand 
controversy  1  O  believer,  consider  this  A  postle  of  God  ;  meditate 
on  these  things;  look  and  look  again,  until  your  peace  be  like  a 
river,  and  your  righteousness  like  the  waves  of  the  sea,  till  the 
breathing  of  your  soul  be,  Abba,  Father  I 

III.   Consider  Christ  as  the  High  Priest  of  our  profession. 

The  duty  of  the  High  Priest  was  twofold — \st,  to  make  Atone- 
ment ;  2d.  to  make  Intercession. 

When  the  High  Priest  slew  the  goat  at  the  altar  of  burnt-offer- 
ings, he  did  it  in  presence  of  all  the  people,  to  make  atonement  for 
them.  They  all  stood  around  gazing  and  considering  their  High 
Priest:  and  when  he  gathered  the  blood  into  the  golden  basin,  and 
put  on  the  white  garments,  and  passed  away  from  their  sight  within 
the  veil,  their  eye  followed  him,  till  the  mysterious  curtain  hid  him 
from  their  sight.  But  even  then  the  heart  of  the  believing  Jew 
followed  him  still.  Now  he  is  drawing  near  to  God  for  us,  now 
he  is  sprinkling  the  blood  seven  times  before  the  mercy-seat,  say- 
ing. Let  this  blood  be  instead  of  our  blood ;  now  he  is  praying 
for  us. 

Brethren,  let  us  also  consider  our  great  High  Priest. 

(1.)  Consider  him  making  Atonement. — You  cannot  look  at  him 
on  the  cross  as  the  disciples  did — you  cannot  see  the  blood  stream- 
ing from  his  five  deep  wounds — you  cannot  see  him  shedding  his 
blood  that  the  blood  of  sinners  might  not  be  shed.  Yet  still,  if 
God  spare  us,  you  may  see  bread  broken  and  wine  poured  out,  a 
living  picture  of  the  dying  Saviour.  Now,  brethren,  the  atone- 
ment has  been  made,  Christ  has  died,  his  sufferings  are  all  past. 
And  how  is  it  that  you  do  not  enjoy  peace  ?  It  is  because  you  do 
not  consider.  "  Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  con- 
sider." Consider:  has  Jesus  died  in  the  stead  of  guilty  sinners, 
and  do  you  heartily  consent  to  take  Jesus  to  be  the  man  in  your 
stead  ?  then,  you  do  not  need  to  die.  O  happy  believer,  rejoice 
evermore.     Live  within  sight  of  Calvary*  and  you  will  live  within 


20  SERMON    III. 

sight  of  glory  ;  and,  O  rejoice  in  the  happy  ordinance  that  sets  a 
broken  Saviour  so  plainly  before  you. 

(2.)  Consider  Christ  as  making  Intercession. — When  Christ 
ascended  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  passed  through  these 
heavens,  carrying  his  bloody  wounds  into  the  presence  of  God  : 
and  when  his  disciples  had  gazed  after  him,  till  a  cloud  received 
him  out  of  their  sight,  we  are  told  that  they  returned  to  Jerusalem 
with  great  joy.  What !  are  they  joyful  at  parting  with  theii 
blessed  Master  ?  When  he  told  them  he  was  to  leave  them,  sor 
row  filled  their  hearts,  and  he  had  to  argue  with  them  and  comfort 
them,  saying.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  ;  it  is  expedient  ibr 
you  that  I  go  away.  How,  then,  are  they  changed  !  Jesus  has 
left  them,  and  they  are  filled  with  joy.  Oh  !  here  is  the  secret, 
they  knew  that  Christ  was  now  going  into  the  presence  of  God 
for  them,  that  their  great  High  Priest  was  now  entering  within  the 
veil  to  make  intercession  for  them. 

Now,  believer,  would  you  share  in  the  great  joy  of  the  disci- 
ples ?  Consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession, 
Christ  Jesus.  He  is  above  yon  clouds,  and  above  yon  sky.  O 
that  you  would  stand  gazing  up  into  heaven,  not  with  the  bodily 
eye,  but  with  the  eye  of  faith.  Oh  !  what  a  wonderful  thing  the 
eye  of  faith  is :  it  sees  beyond  the  stars,  it  pierces  to  the  throne  of 
God,  and  there  it  looks  on  the  face  of  Jesus  making  intercession 
for  us,  whom  having  not  seen  we  love,  in  whom,  though  now  we 
see  him  not,  yet  believing  we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory. 

Oh  !  if  you  would  live  thus,  what  sweet  peace  would  fill  your 
bosom  !  And  how  many  droppings  of  the  Spirit  would  come 
down  on  you  in  answer  to  the  Saviour's  prayer.  Oh  !  how  your 
face  would  shine  like  Stephen ;  and  the  poor  blind  world  would 
see  that  there  is  a  joy  which  the  world  cannot  give,  and  the  world 
cannot  take  away,  a  heaven  upon  earth. 

Dundee,  1836. 


SERMON  III. 

"  As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters.  As  the  apple-tree 
among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.  I  sat  down  un- 
der his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  unto  my  taste." — 
Song  of  Solomon  ii.,  2,  3. 

If  an  unconverted  man  were  taken  away  into  heaven,  where 
Christ  sits  in  glory,  and  if  he  overheard  Christ's  words  of  admir- 
ing love  towards  the  believer,  he  could  not  understand  them,  he 
could  not  comprehend  how  Christ  should  see  a  loveliness  in  poor 
religious  people  whom  he  in  the  bottom  of  his  heart  despised.  Or 
again,  if  an  unconverted  man  were  to  overhear  a  Christian  at  his 


SERMON    III.  21 

devotions  when  he  is  really  within  the  veil,  and  were  to  listen  to 
his  words  of  admiring,  adoring  love  towards  Christ,  he  could  not 
possibly  understand  ihein,  he  could  not  comprehend  how  the  be- 
liever should  have  such  a  burning  atiection  towards  one  unseen,  in 
whom  he  himself  saw  no  form  nor  comeliness.  So  true  it  is  that 
the  natural  man  knoweth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him.  There  may  be  some  now  hearing  me 
who  have  a  rooted  dislike  to  religious  people,  they  are  so  stiff,  so 
precise,  so  gloomy,  you  cannot  endure  their  company.  Well  then, 
see  here  what  Christ  thinks  of  them,  "  As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so 
is  my  love  among  the  daughters."  How  different  you  are  from 
Christ !  There  may  be  some  hearing  me  who  have  no  desires  after 
Jesus  Christ,  who  never  think  of  him  with  pleasure  ;  you  see  no  form 
nor  comeliness  in  him,  no  beauty  that  you  should  desire  him  ;  you 
do  not  love  the  melody  of  his  name ;  you  do  i^t  pray  to  him  con- 
tinually. Well  then,  see  here  what  the  believer  thinks  of  him, 
how  different  from  you — "  As  the  apple-tree  among  the  trees  of 
the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.  1  sat  down  under 
his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste." 
O  that  you  would  be  awakened  by  this  very  thing,  that  you  are  so 
different  from  Christ,  and  so  different  from  the  believer,  to  think 
that  you  must  be  in  a  natural  condition,  you  must  be  under  wrath  ! 
Doctrine. — The  believer  is  unspeakably  precious  in  the  eyes  of 
Christ,  and  Christ  is  unspeakably  precious  in  the  eyes  of  the  be- 
liever. 

I.  Inquire  what  Christ  thinks  of  the  believer — "  As  the  lily 
among  the  thorns,  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters." 

Christ  sees  nothing  so  fair  in  all  this  world  as  the  believer.  All 
the  rest  of  the  world  is  like  thorns,  but  the  believer  is  like  a  beau- 
tiful lily  in  his  eyes.  When  you  are  walking  in  a  wilderness  all 
overgrown  with  briers  and  thorns,  if  your  eye  falls  upon  some 
lonely  flower,  tall  and  white,  and  pure  and  graceful,  growing  in 
the  midst  of  the  thorns,  it  looks  peculiarly  beautiful.  If  it  were 
in  the  midst  of  some  rich  garden  among  many  other  flowers,  then 
it  would  not  be  so  remarkable  ;  but  when  it  is  encompassed  with 
thorns  on  every  side,  then  it  engages  the  eye.  Such  is  the  believer 
in  the  eyes  of  Christ.  "  As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  my  love 
among  the  daughters." 

(1.)  See  what  Christ  thinks  of  the  unconverted  world.  It  is 
like  a  field  full  of  briers  and  thorns  in  his  eyes.  1.  Because  fruit- 
less. "  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?"  So 
Christ  gets  no  fruit  from  the  unconverted  world.  It  is  all  one  wide, 
thorny  waste.  2.  Because,  when  the  word  is  preached  among 
them,  it  is  like  sowing  among  thorns.  "  Break  up  your  fillow- 
ground  and  sow  not  among  thorns."  When  the  sower  sowed, 
some  fell  among  thorns,  and  the  thorns  sprang  up  and  choked 
them  ;  so  is  preaching  to  the  unconverted.     3.  Because  their  end 


22  SERMON    III. 

will  be  like  that  of  thorns  ;  they  are  dry  and  fit  only  for  the  burning. 
"  As  thorns  cut  up  shall  they  be  burned  in  the  fire."  "  For  the 
earth,  which  is  often  rained  upon  and  only  bears  thorns  and  briers, 
is  rejected,  and  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned." 
My  friends,  if  you  are  in  a  Christian  state,  see  what  you  are  in 
the  eyes  of  ('hrist — thorns.  You  think  that  you  have  many  ad- 
mirable qualities,  that  you  are  valuable  members  of  society,  and 
you  have  a  hope  that  it  shall  be  well  with  you  in  eternity.  See 
what  Christ  says- — you  are  thorns  and  briers,  useless  in  this  world, 
and  fit  only  for  the  burning. 

(2.)  See  what  Christ  thinks  of  the  believer.  "  As  the  lily  among 
thorns  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters."  The  believer  is  like 
a  lovely  flower  in  the  eyes  of  Christ.  1.  Because,  justified  in  the 
eyes  of  Christ,  washed  in  his  blood,  he  is  pure  and  white  as  a  lily. 
Christ  can  see  no  spot  in  his  own  righteousness,  and  therefore  he 
sees  no  spot  on  the  believer.  Thou  art  all  fair,  my  love,  as  a  lily 
among  thorns  so  is  my  love.  2.  A  believer's  nature  is  changed. 
Once  he  was  like  the  barren,  prickly  thorn,  fit  only  for  burning ; 
now  Christ  has  put  a  new  spirit  in  him  -,  the  dew  has  been  given 
to  him,  and  he  grows  up  like  the  lily.  Christ  loves  the  new  crea- 
ture. "  All  my  delight  is  in  them."  "  As  the  lily  among  thorns  so 
is  my  love  among  the  daughters."  Are  you  a  Christian?  then 
never  mind  though  the  world  despise  you,  though  they  call  you 
names  ;  remember  Christ  loves  you,  he  calls  you  "  my  love." 
Abide  in  him,  and  you  shall  abide  in  his  love.  If  ye  continue  in 
my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed.  3.  Because  so  lonely 
in  the  world.  Observe,  there  is  but  one  lily,  but  many  thorns. 
There  is  a  great  wilderness  all  full  of  thorns,  and  only  one  lonely 
flower.  So  there  is  a  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  a  little  flock 
that  believe  in  Jesus.  Some  believers  are  cast  down  because  they 
feel  solitary  and  alone.  If  I  be  in  the  right  way,  surely  I  would 
not  be  so  lonely.  Surely  the  wise,  and  the  amiable,  and  the  kind 
people  I  see  round  about  me,  surely,  if  there  were  any  truth  in  re- 
ligion, they  would  know  it.  Be  not  cast  down.  It  is  one  of  the 
marks  of  Christ's  people  that  they  are  alone  in  the  world,  and  yet 
they  are  not  alone.  It  is  one  of  the  very  beauties  which  Christ 
sees  in  his  people,  that  they  are  solitary  among  a  world  of  thorns. 
♦'  As  a  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters." 
Do  not  be  discouraged.  This  world  is  the  world  of  loneliness. 
When  you  are  transplanted  to  yon  garden  of  God,  then  you  shall 
be  no  more  lonely,  then  you  shall  be  away  from  all  the  thorns. 
As  flowers  in  a  rich  garden  blend  togcthei'  their  thousand  odors 
to  enrich  the  passing  breeze,  so,  in  the  paradise  above,  you  shall 
join  the  thousands  of  the  redeem.ed  blending  with  theirs  the  odor 
of  your  praise.  You  shall  join  with  the  redeemed  as  living  flow- 
ers to  form  a  garland  for  the  Redeemer's  brow. 

II.  Inquire  what  the  believer  thinks  of  Christ. — "  As  the  apple- 


SERMON    III.  23 

tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the 
sons.  I  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his 
fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste."' 

1.  Christ  is  more  precious  than  all  other  saviours  in  the  eye  of 
the  believer.  As  a  traveller  prefers  an  apple-tree  to  every  other 
tree  of  the  wood,  because  he  finds  both  shelter  and  nourishing 
food  under  it,  so  the  believer  prefers  Christ  to  all  other  saviours. 
When  a  man  is  travelling  in  eastern  countries,  he  is  often  like  to 
drop  down  under  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun.  It  is  a  great  relief 
when  he  comes  to  a  wood.  When  Israel  were  travelling  in  the 
Wilderness,  they  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells  of  water, 
and  seventy  palm-trecf:,  and  they  encamped  there  by  the  water. 
They  were  glad  of  the  shelter  of  the  trees.  So  Micah  says  that 
God's  people  "  dwell  solitarily  in  the  wood  ;"  and  Ezekiel  promises 
"  they  shall  sleep  in  the  woods." 

But  if  the  traveller  be  hungry  and  faint  for  lack  of  food,  then 
he  will  not  be  content  with  any  tree  of  the  wood,  but  he  will 
choose  out  a  fruit  tree,  under  which  he  may  sit  down  and  find 
nourishment  as  well  as  shade.  He  sees  a  fair  apple-tree — he 
chooses  it  out  of  all  the  trees  of  the  wood,  because  he  can  both  sit 
under  its  shadow  and  eat  its  pleasant  fruits.  So  is  it  with  the  soul 
awakened  by  God.  He  feels  under  the  heat  of  God's  anger  ;  he 
is  in  a  weary  land  ;  he  is  brought  into  the  wilderness  ;  he  is  like 
to  perish  ;  he  comes  to  a  wood  ;  many  trees  offer  their  shade  ; 
where  shall  he  sit  down?  Under  the  fir-tree ?  alas  I  what  fruit 
has  it  to  give  ?  he  may  die  there.  Under  the  cedar  tree,  with  its 
mighty  branches  1  alas  !  he  may  perish  there  ;  for  it  has  no  fruit 
to  give.  The  soul  that  is  taught  of  God  seeks  for  a  complete 
Saviour.  The  apple-tree  is  revealed  to  the  soul.  The  hungry 
soul  chooses  that  evermore.  He  needs  to  be  saved  from  hell  and 
nourished  for  heaven.  "  As  the  apple-tree  among  the  trees  of  the 
wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons," 

Awakened  souls,  remember  you  must  not  sit  down  under  every 
tree  that  offers  itse^lf.  "  Take  heed  that  no  one  deceive  you  ;  for 
many  shall  come  in  Christ's  name,  saying,  I  am  Christ,  and  deceive 
many,"  There  are  many  ways  of  saying  peace,  peace,  when 
there  is  no  peace.  You  will  be  tempted  to  find  peace  in  the  world, 
in  self-repentance,  in  self-reformation.  Remember,  choose  you  a 
tree  that  will  yield  fruit  as  well  as  shade.  "  As  the  apple-tree 
among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons." 
Pray  for  a  choosing  faith.  Pray  for  an  eye  to  discern  the  apple- 
tree.  Oh  1  there  is  no  rest  for  the  soul  except  under  that  Branch 
whic;h  God  has  made  strong.  My  heart's  desix'e  and  prayer  for 
you  is,  that  you  may  all  find  rest  there. 

2.  Why  has  the  believer  so  high  an  esteem  of  Christ  ? 

Ans.  (1.)  Because  he  has  made  trial  of  Christ,  "  I  sat  down 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,"  All  true  believers  have 
sat  down  under  the  shadow  of  Christ.     Some  people  think  that 


24  SERMON    III. 

they  shall  be  saved  because  they  have  got  a  head-knowledge  of 
Christ.  They  read  of  Christ  in  the  Bible,  they  hear  of  Christ  in 
the  house  of  God,  and  they  think  that  is  to  be  a  Christian.  Alas  ! 
my  friends,  what  good  would  you  get  from  an  apple-tree,  if  I  were 
only  to  describe  it  to  you  ;  tell  you  how  beautiful  it  was,  how 
heavily  laden  with  delicious  apples  ?  Or,  if  I  were  only  to  show 
you  a  picture  of  ihe  tree,  or  if  I  were  to  show  you  the  tree  itself 
at  a  distance,  what  the  better  would  you  he  1  You  would  not 
get  the  good  of  its  shade  or  its  pleasant  fruit.  Just  so,  dear 
brethren,  what  good  will  you  get  from  Christ,  if  you  only  hear 
of  him  in  books  and  sermons,  or  if  you  see  him  pictured  forth  in 
the  sacrament,  or  if  you  were  to  see  him  with  your  bodily  eye  ? 
What  good  would  all  this  do,  if  you  do  not  sit  down  under  his 
shadow?  O  my  friends,  there  must  be  a  personal  sitting  down 
under  the  shadow  of  Christ,  if  you  would  be  saved.  Christ  is  the 
bush  that  has  been  burned  yet  not  consumed.  Oh  !  it  is  a  safe 
place  for  a  hell-deserving  sinner  to  rest. 

Some  may  be  hearing  me  who  can  say,  "  I  sat  down  under  his 
shadow."  And  yet  you  have  forsaken  him.  Ah  !  have  you  gone 
after  your  lovers,  and  away  from  Christ  ?  Well,  then,  may  God 
hedge  up  your  way  with  thorns.  Return,  return,  O  Shulamite  ! 
There  is  no  other  refuge  for  your  soul.  Come  and  sit  down  again 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Saviour. 

Ans.  (2.)  Because  he  sat  down  with  great  delight. 

1st.  Some  people  think  there  is  no  joy  in  religion,  it  is  a 
gloomy  thing.  When  a  young  i:)erson  becomes  a  Christian,  they 
would  say,  Alas  !  he  must  bid  farewell  to  pleasure,  farewell  to 
the  joys  of  youth,  farewell  to  a  merry  heart.  He  must  exchange 
these  pleasures  for  reading  of  the  Bible  and  dry  sermon-books, 
for  a  life  of  gravity  and  preciseness.  This  is  what  the  world 
says.  What  does  the  Bible  say  ?  "  I  sat  down  under  his  shadow 
with  great  delight."  Ah  !  let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar. 
Yet  n'o  one  can  believe  this  except  those  who  have  tried  it.  Ah  ! 
be  not  deceived,  my  young  friends  ;  the  world  has  many  sensual 
and  many  sinful  delights;  the  delights  of  eating  and  drinking,  and 
wearing  gay  clothes  ;  the  delights  of  revelry  and  the  dance.  No 
man  of  wisdom  will  deny  that  these  things  are  delightful  to  the 
natural  heart ;  but  oh  !  they  perish  in  the  using,  and  they  end  in 
an  eternal  hell.  But  to  sit  down  under  the  shadow  of  Christ, 
wearied  with  God's  burning  anger,  wearied  with  seeking  after 
vain  saviours,  at  last  to  find  rest  under  the  shadow  of  Christ,  ah ! 
this  is  great  delight.  Lord,  evermore  may  I  sit  under  this  shadow  ! 
Lord,  evermore  may  I  be  filled  with  this  joy  ! 

2d.  Some  people  are  afraid  of  anything  like  joy  in  religion. 
They  have  none  themselves,  and  they  do  not  love  to"  see  it  in 
others.  Their  religion  is  something  hke  the  stars,  very  high,  and 
verv  clear,  but  very  cold.  When  they  see  tears  of  anxiety,  or 
tears  of  joy,  they  cry  out,  Enthusiasm,  enthusiasm  !     Well,  then, 


SERMON    III.  25 

to  the  Law  and  to  the  Testimony.  "  I  sat  down  under  his  shadow 
with  great  delight."  Is  this  enthusiasm  ?  O  Lord,  evermore  give 
us  this  enthusiasm  !  May  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy 
and  peace  in  beUeving  !  If  it  be  really  in  sitting  under  the  shadow 
of  Christ,  let  there  be  no  bounds  to  your  joy.  O  if  God  would 
but  open  your  eyes,  and  give  you  simple,  child-like  faith,  to  look 
to  Jesus,  to  sit  under  his  shadow,  then  would  songs  of  joy  rise 
from  all  our  dwellings.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,  and  again, 
I  say,  rejoice  ! 

2d.  Because  the  fruit  of  Christ  is  sweet  to  the  taste.  All  true 
believers  not  only  sit  under  the  shadow,  but  partake  of  his 
pleasant  fruits ;  just  as  when  you  sit  under  an  apple-tree,  the  fruit 
hangs  above  you  and  around  you,  and  invites  you  to  put  out  the 
hand  and  taste  ;  so,  when  you  come  to  submit  to  the  righteousness 
of  God,  bow  your  head,  and  sit  down  under  Christ's  shadow,  all 
other  things  are  added  unto  you.  First,  Temporal  mercies  are 
sweet  to  the  taste.  None  but  those  of  you  who  are  Christians 
know  this,  when  you  sit  under  the  shadow  of  Christ's  temporal 
mercies,  because  covenant  mercies.  "  Bread  siiall  be  given  you  ; 
your  water  shall  be  sure."  These  are  sweet  apples  from  the  tree 
Christ.  O  Christian,  tell  me,  is  not  bread  sweeter  when  eaten 
thus  ?  Is  not  water  richer  than  wine  ?  and  Daniel's  pulse  better 
than  the  dainties  of  the  King's  table  ?  Second,  Afflictions  are 
sweet  to  the  taste.  Every  good  apple  has  some  sourness  in  it. 
So  it  is  with  the  apples  of  the  tree  Christ.  He  gives  afflictions  as 
well  as  mercies.  He  sets  the  teeth  on  edge  ;  but  even  these  are 
blessings  in  disguise — they  are  covenant  gifts.  Oh  I  affliction  is  a 
dismal  thing  when  you  are  not  under  his  shadow.  But  are  you 
Christians?  look  on  your  sorrows  as  apples  from  that  blessed  tree. 
If  you  knew  how  wholesome  they  are,  you  would  not  wish  to 
Want  them.  Several  of  you  know  it  is  no  contradiction  to  say, 
these  apples,  though  sour,  are  sweet  to  my  taste.  Third,  The 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  sweet  to  the  taste.  Ah  I  here  is  the  best 
fruit  that  grows  on  the  tree  :  here  are  the  ripest  apples  from  the 
topmost  branch.  You  who  are  Christians  know  how  often  your 
soul  is  fainting.  Well,  here  is  nourishment  to  your  fainting  soul. 
Everything  you  need  is  in  Christ.  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee."  Dear  Christian,  sit  much  under  that  tree — feed  much  upon 
that  fruit.  "  Stay  me  with  flagons,  comfort  me  with  apples,  for  I 
am  sick  of  love."  Fourth,  Promises  of  glory.  Some  of  the 
apples  have  a  taste  of  heaven  in  them.  Feed  upon  these,  dear 
Christians.  Some  of  Christ's  apples  give  you  a  relish  for  the  fruit 
of  Canaan — for  the  clusters  of  Eshcol.  Lord,  evermore  give  me 
these  apples  ;  for  oh  !  they  are  sweet  to  my  taste. 

St.  Peter's,  1837. 


26  SERMON    IV. 


SERMON  IV. 

"  A  sword,  a  sword  is  sharpened,  and  also  furbished  :  it  is  sharpened  to  make  a 
sore  slaughter ;  it  is  furbished  that  it  may  glitter ;  should  we  then  make  mirth  ? 
it  contemneth  the  rod  of  my  son,  as  every  tree." — Ezek.  xxi.,  9,  10. 

From  the  second  verse  of  this  chapter,  we  learn  that  this  prophecy 
was  directed  against  Jerusalem  ;  "  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face 
toward  Jerusalem,  and  drop  thy  word  toward  the  holy  places, 
and  prophesy  against  the  land  of  Israel." 

We  have  "already  told  you  that  Ezekiel,  while  yet  a  youth,  was 
carried  captive  hy  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  placed,  with  a  number  of 
his  countrymen,  by  the  river  of  Chcbar.  It  was  there  that  he  de- 
livered his  prophecies  during  a  space  of  twenty-two  years.  The 
prophecy  I  have  read  was  delivered  in  the  seventh  year  of  his 
captivity,  and  just  three  years  before  Jerusalem  was  destroyed, 
and  the  temple  burnt.  From  verse  2,  we  learn  that  these  words 
were  directed  against  Jerusalem,  for  though  God  had  taken 
Ezekiel  away  to  minister  to  the  captives  by  the  river  of  Chebar, 
yet  he  made  him  send  many  a  message  of  warning  and  of  mercy 
to  his  beloved  Jerusalem,  "  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face  toward 
Jerusalem,  and  drop  thy  word  towards  the  holy  places,  and  pro- 
phesy against  the  land  of  Israel." 

God  had  already  fulfilled  many  of  the  words  of  his  prophets 
against  Jerusalem.  He  had  fulfilled  the  word  of  Jeremiah  against 
one  of  their  kings  (Jehoiakim).  '•  He  shall  be  buried  with  the 
burial  of  an  ass,  drawn  and  cast  forth  beyond  the  walls  of  Jerusa- 
lem." He  had  fulfilled  the  word  of  the  same  prophet  in  carrying 
another  king  (Jehoiakin)  to  Babylon  with  all  the  goodly  vessels  of 
the  house  of  the  Lord.  But  still,  neither  prophecies  nor  judgments 
would  awaken  Jerusalem  ;  so  that  we  are  told  (2  Chron.  xxxvi., 
12)  that  Zedekiah  the  next  king,  "  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord  his  God,  and  humbled  not  himself  before  Jere- 
miah the  prophet,  speaking  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord."  V.  14. 
"  Moreover,  all  the  chief  of  the  priests  and  the  people  transgressed 
very  much,  after  all  the  abominations  of  the  heaihen;  and  polluted 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  which  he  had  hallowed  in  Jerusalem.  And 
the  Lord  God  of  their  fatliers  sent  to  them  by  his  messengers, 
rising  up  betimes,  and  sending  ;  because  he  had  compassion  on 
his  people,  and  on  his  dwelling-place:  But  they  mocked  the  mes- 
sengers of  God,  and  despised  his  words,  and  misused  his  prophets, 
until  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arose  against  his  people,  till  tiiero  was 
no  remedy." 

It  was  in  a  time  of  great  hardness  and  impenitence  in  Jerusa- 
lem that  the  prophecy  before  me  was  delivered,  and  just  three 
years  before  the  wrath  of  God  was  i)oured  on  them  to  the  utter- 
most.    (1).  All  was  mirth  and  sensuaUty  in  Jerusalem.     (2).  The 


SERMON    IV,  27 

false  prophets  prophesied  peace,  and  the  people  loved  to  have  it 
so.  (3.)  There  was  no  noise  but  that  of  revelry  within  the  devoted 
city.  But  in  the  midst  of  that  din  and  revelry,  the  lone  prophet 
by  the  river  of  Chebar  heard  the  muttering  of  the  distant  thunder. 
The  faithful  servant  of  God  saw  God  arming  himself  as  a  mighty 
man  for  the  war,  and  the  glittering  sword  of  vengeance  in  his 
hand,  and  he  calls  aloud  to  his  countrymen,  all  at  ease,  with 
awakening  thunders,  "  A  sword,  a  sword  is  sharpened  and  also 
furbished  ;  it  is  sharpened  to  make  a  sore  slaughter  ;  it  is  furbish- 
ed that  it  may  glitter  ;  should  we  then  make  mirth  ?" 

My  friends,  tliose  of  you  who  are  unconverted  are  in  the  very 
same  situation  as  Jerusalem  was.  In  the  years  that  are  now  fled, 
like  the  mists  of  the  morning,  how  many  messages  have  you  had 
from  God  ?  How  many  times  has  he  sent  his  messengers  to  you, 
rising  up  early  and  sending  them  ?  His  Bible  has  been  in  your 
houses,  a  silent,  but  more  mighty  pleader  for  God  ;  his  providence 
has  been  in  your  families,  in  sickness  and  death,  in  plenty  or 
poverty,  all,  all  beseeching  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ; 
all,  all  beseeching  you  to  cleave  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  only,  the 
all-sufficient  Saviour.  All  these  messages  have  come  to  you,  and 
you  are  yet  unconverted,  still  dead,  dry  bones,  without  Christ  and 
without  God  in  the  world  ;  and  you  are  saying.  Soul,  take  thine 
ease,  eat  and  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  do,  my  friends,  hearken 
once  more,  for  God  does  not  wish  any  to  perish.  I  have  a  word 
from  God  unto  thee,  "  A  sword,  a  sword  is  sharpened  and  also  fur- 
bished ;  it  is  sharpened  to  make  a  sore  slaughter ;  it  is  furbished 
that  it  may  glitter  ;  should  we  then  make  mirth?" 

Doctrine. — It  is  very  unreasonable  in  unconverted  persons  to 
make  mirth. 

1.  It  is  unreasonable,  because  they  are  under  condemnation. — 
The  sword  is  sharpened  and  also  furbished.  It  is  sharpened  to 
make  a  sore  slaughter;  it  is  furbished  that  it  may  glitter.  Should 
we  then  make  mirth?  There  is  a  common  idea  that  men  are 
under  probation,  as  Adam  was,  and  that  Christless  persons  will  not 
be  condemned  till  the  judgment ;  but  this  is  not  the  case.  The 
Bible  says,  "  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already."  "  He 
that  hath  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."  "  Cursed  is  every  one  (not  shall  be)  who  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
Christless  souls  are  at  present  in  the  horrible  pit,  every  mouth  is 
stopped,  and  they  are  guilty  before  God.  They  are  in  prison, 
ready  to  be  brought  out  to  execution.  Therei'ore,  when  God 
sends  us  to  preach  to  Christless  persons  he  calls  it  "  preaching  to 
the  spirits  in  prison,"*  that  is,  who  are  under  condemnation.    The 

*  I  believe  he  afterwards  understood  1  Peter  iii.,  19,  to  mean  "  the  spirits  who 
are  now  in  prison." 


28  SERMON   IV. 

sword  is  not  only  unsheathed,  it  is  sharpened  and  furbished.  It  is 
held  over  their  heads. 

Should  they  then  make  mirth  ?  It  is  unreasonable  in  a  con- 
demned malefactor  to  make  mirth.  Would  it  not  greatly  shock 
every  feeling  mind  to  see  a  company  of  men  condemned  to  die, 
meeting  and  making  merry,  talking  lightly  and  jestingly,  as  if  the 
sw^ord  was  not  over  them  1  Yet  this  is  the  case  of  those  of  you 
who  are  unconverted  and  yet  live  hves  of  mirth.  You  have  been 
tried  in  the  balance  and  found  wanting.  You  have  been  con- 
demned by  the  righteous  judge.  Your  sentence  is  post.  You 
are  now  in  prison,  neither  can  you  break  out  of  this  prison  ;  the 
sword  is  whetted  and  drawn  over  you.  And  oh  !  is  it  not  most 
unreasonable  to  make  mirth  ?  Is  it  not  most  unreasonable  to 
be  happy  and  contented  with  yourself  and  merry  with  your  friends? 
Is  it  not  madness  to  sing  the  song  of  the  drunkard  ?  "  Eat,  drink, 
and  be  merry,  for  to-morrow  we  die." 

2.  Because  God's  instruments  of  destruction  are  all  ready. — 
Not  only  are  Christless  persons  condemned  already,  but  the  instru- 
ments of  their  destruction  are  prepared  and  quite  ready.  The 
sword  of  vengeance  is  sharpened  and  also  furbished.  When 
swords  are  kept  in  the  armory,  they  are  kept  blunt,  that  the  rust 
may  not  hurt  their  edge;  but  when  work  is  to  be  done,  and  they 
are  taken  out  for  the  slaughter,  then  they  ;^re  furbished  and  sharp- 
ened— made  sharp  and  glittering.  So  it  is  with  the  sword  of  the 
executioner  ;  when  not  in  use,  it  is  kept  blunt ;  but  when  work  is 
to  be  done,  it  is  sharpened  and  made  ready.  It  is  sharpened  and 
furbished  just  before  the  blow  is  struck,  that  it  may  cut  clean.  So 
is  it  with  God's  sword  of  vengeance.  It  is  not  sheathed  and  blunt, 
it  is  sharpened  and  furbished,  it  is  quite  ready  to  do  its  work,  it  is 
quite  ready  for  a  sore  slaughter.  The  disease  by  which  every 
unconverted  man  is  to  die  is  quite  ready,  it  is  perhaps  in  his  veins 
at  this  very  moment.  The  accident  by  which  he  is  to  drop  into 
eternity  is  quite  ready,  all  the  parts  and  means  of  it  are  arranged. 
The  arrow  that  is  to  strike  him  is  on  the  string,  perhaps  it  has  left 
the  string,  and  is  even  now  flying  towards  him. 

The  place  in  hell  is  quite  ready  for  every  unconverted  soul. 
When  Judas  died,  the  Scriptures  say,  "  he  went  to  his  own 
place."  It  was  his  own  place  before  he  went  there,  being  quite 
prepared  and  I'cady  for  him.  As  when  a  man  retires  at  night  to 
his  sleeping  room,  it  is  said  he  is  gone  to  his  own  room,  so  a  place 
in  hell  is  quite  ready  for  every  Christless  person.  It  is  his  own 
place.  When  the  rich  man  died  and  was  buried,  he  was  imme- 
diately in  his  own  place.  He  found  everything  ready.  He  lifted 
up  his  eyes  in  hell,  being  in  torments.  So  hell  is  quite  ready  for 
every  Christless  person.  It  was  prepared,  long  ago,  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels.  The  fires  are  all  quite  ready,  and  fully  lighted 
and  burning. 

Ah  1  should  Christless  souls  then  make  mirth  ?     A  malefactor 


SERMON    IV.  29 

might,  perhaps,  say  that  he  would  be  merry  as  long  as  the  scaffold 
was  not  erected  on  which  he  was  to  die.  But  if  he  were  toid  that 
the  scaffold  was  quite  ready,  that  the  sword  was  sharpened,  and 
the  executioner  standing  read}^  oh  !  would  it  not  be  madness  to 
make  mirth  ?  Alas  !  this  is  your  madness,  poor  Christlcss  soul. 
You  are  not  only  condemned,  but  the  sword  is  sharpened  and 
ready  that  is  to  smite  your  soul  ;  and  yet  you  can  be  happy,  and 
dream  away  your  days  and  nights  in  pleasures  that  perish  in  the 
using.  The  disease  is  ready,  the  accident  is  ready,  the  arrow  is 
on  the  string,  the  gravels  ready,  yea,  hell  itself  is  ready,  your  own 
place  is  made  ready ;  and  yet  you  can  make  mirth  !  You  can 
play  games  and  enjoy  company.  How  truly  is  your  laughter  like 
the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot :  a  flashy  blaze,  and  then  the 
blackness  of  darkness  for  ever! 

3.  Tlie  sword  may  come  down  at  any  one  moment. — Not  only 
are  Christless  persons  condemned  already,  and  not  only  is  the 
sword  of  vengeance  quite  ready,  but  the  sword  may  come  down 
at  any  one  moment.  It  is  not  so  with  malefactors  ;  their  day  is 
fixed  and  told  them,  so  that,  they  can  count  their  time.  If  they 
have  many  days  they  make  merry  to-day  at  least,  and  begin  to 
be  serious  to-morrow.  But  not  so  Christlcss  persons  ;  their  day 
is  fixed,  but  it  is  not  told  them.  It  may  be  this  very  moment. 
Ah  !  should  they  then  make  mirth  ? 

Some  malefactors  have  been  found  very  stout-hearted  to  the 
very  last.  Many  have  received  their  sentence  quite  unmoved, 
and  with  a  determined  countenance.  Some  have  even  gone  to 
the  scaffold  quite  unmoved  ;  some  even  with  a  light,  careless 
spirit.  But  when  the  head  is  laid  down  upon  the  block,  when  the 
eyes  are  covered,  and  the  neck  laid  bare — when  the  glittering 
sword  is  lifted  high  in  the  air,  and  may  come  down  any  one 
moment — that  is  a  dreadful  time  of  suspense.  It  would  be  very 
horrible  to  see  a  man  in  a  light,  careless  spirit,  at  that  time.  Oh  ! 
it  would  be  madness  to  be  merry  then  ?  Alas  !  this  is  your  mad- 
ness, poor  Christless  soul.  You  are  not  only  condemned,  and  not 
only  is  the  sword  ready,  but  it  may  fall  on  you  at  any  one 
moment.  Your  head  is,  as  it  were,  on  the  block.  Your  neck  is 
bared  before  God,  and  the  whetted  sword  is  held  over  you ;  and 
yet  can  you  make  mirth  ?  Can  you  take  up  your  mind  with 
business  and  worldly  things,  and  getting  rich,  building  and  plant- 
ing, nnd  this  night  your  soul  may  be  required  of  you?  Can  you 
fill  up  your  time  with  games  and  amusements,  and  foolish  books 
and  entertaining  companions  1  Can  you  fill  up  your  hours  after 
work  with  loose  talk  and  wanton  behavior,  adding  sin  to  sin, 
treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  when  you  know  not 
what  hour  the  wrath  of  God  may  come  upon  you  to  the  utter- 
most ?  Can  you  go  prayerless  to  your  bed  at  night,  your  mind 
filled  with  dark  and  horrid  imaginations  not  fit  to  be  named,  and 


30  SERMON    IV. 

yet  you  may  be  in  hell  before  the  morning  ?      A  sword,  a  sword, 
it  is  furbished  ! 

4.  Because  God  has  made  no  promise  to  Christless  souls  to  stay 
his  hand  one  ?noment. — All  the  promises  of  God  are  yea  and 
amen  ;  that  is,  they  are  true.  He  always  fulfils  his  promises. 
But  the  same  Scripture  says  they  are  "  yea  and  amen  in  Christ 
Jesus."  All  God's  promises  are  made  to  Christ,  and  to  sinners  that 
cleave  to  Christ.  I  believe  that  it  is  impossible,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  that  God  would  make  a  promise  to  an  unconverted  man. 
Accordingly,  all  God's  promises  are  made  to  Christ,  and  to  every 
sinner  that  cleaves  on  to  Christ.  But  unconverted  persons  are  those 
who  have  never  come  to  Christ ;  therefore,  there  are  no  promises 
made  to  them.  God  nowhere  promises  to  make  them  anxious. 
He  nowhere  promises  to  bring  them  to  Christ.  He  nowhere 
promises  to  keep  them  one  moment  out  of  hell.  "  Should  they 
then  make  mirth '?" 

Let  me  speak  to  Christless  persons  who  are  at  ease.  Many  of 
you  hearing  me  know  that  you  are  in  a  Christless  state  ;  and  yet 
you  know  that  you  are  at  ease  and  happy.  Why  is  this  ?  It  is 
because  you  hope  to  be  brought  to  Christ  before  you  die.  You 
say,  another  day  will  do  as  well,  and  I  will  hear  thee  again  of 
this  matter  :  and  therefore  you  take  your  ease  now.  But  this  is 
very  unreasonable.  It  is  not  worthy  of  a  rational  being  to  act  in 
this  way.  God  has  nowhere  promised  to  bring  you  to  Christ 
before  you  die.  God  has  laid  himself  under  no  manner  of  obliga- 
tion to  you.  He  has  nowhere  promised  that  you  shall  see  to-mor- 
row, or  that  you  shall  hear  another  sermon.  There  is  a  day  near 
at  hand  when  you  shall  not  see  a  to-morrow.  If  this  be  not  the 
last,  there  is  a  sermon  yet  to  be  preached  which  will  be  the  last 
you  will  ever  hear. 

Let  me  speak  to  Christless  persons  who  are  anxious  about  their 
souls.  Some  hearing  me  know  that  they  are  in  a  Christless  con- 
dition, and  this  made  them  anxious,  and  yet  it  is  to  be  feared  some 
are  losing  that  anxiety,  and  now  going  back  to  the  mirth  of 
the  world.  Why  is  this?  This  is  most  unreasonable.  If  you 
are  still  out  of  Christ,  however  anxious  you  have  been,  remember 
God  has  made  no  promises  to  save  you.  The  sword  is  still  over 
you,  furbished  and  sharpened.  Ah  !  do  not  then  make  mirth. 
Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.  Take  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
by  violence.  Press  into  it.  Never  rest  till  you  are  in  the  bonds 
of  the  covenant.     Then  be  as  happy  as  the  day  is  long. 

5.  It  is  a  sore  slaughter,  "  A  sword  !  a  sword  /" 

1st,  Sore,  becazise  it  will  be  on  all  who  are  Cltristless. — The 
dreadfulness  of  the  slaughter  in  Jerusalem  was  that  all  were 
slain,  both  old  and  young.  The  command  which  the  prophet 
heard  was  (ix.,  5),  "Go  ye  through  the  city  and  smite.  Let  not 
your  eye  spare,  neither  have  ye  pity.  Slay  utterly  old  and  young, 
both  maids  and  little  children,  and  women  ;  but  come  not  near 


SERMON    IV.  31 

any  man  upon  whom  is  the  mark."  Such  is  the  sore  slaughter 
waiting  on  unconverted  souls.  All  Christless  persons  will  perish, 
young  and  old.  God  will  not  spare,  neither  will  his  eye  pity. 
Think  of  this,  old  grey-headed  persons,  that  have  lived  in  sin,  and 
never  come  to  Christ ;  it' you  die  thus,  you  will  certainly  perish  in 
the  sore  slaughter.  Think  of  this,  middle-aged  persons,  hard- 
working merchants  and  laborers,  who  make  money,  but  do  not 
sell  all  for  the  pearl  of  price.  Think  of  this,  ye  Marthas,  who 
are  careful  and  troubled  about  many  things,  but  who  forget  the 
one  thing  that  is  needful,  you  also  will  fall  in  the  sore  slaughter. 
Think  of  this,  young  persons,  who  live  without  prayer,  yet  in 
mirth  and  jollity  ;  you  that  meet  to  jest  and  be  happy  on  Sabbath 
evenings,  you  that  walk  in  the  s'ght  of  your  own  eyes,  you  too 
will,  fall  in  that  sore  slaughter.  Think  of  this,  little  children,  you 
that  are  the  pride  of  your  mother's  heart,  but  who  have  gone 
astray  from  the  womb,  speaking  lies.  Little  children,  who  are 
fond  of  your  plays,  but  are  not  fond  of  coming  to  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  the  Saviour  of  little  children,  the  sword  will  come  on  you 
also.  Oh  !  it  is  a  sore  slaughter,  that  will  not  spare  the  young,  nor 
the  lovely,  nor  the  kind  ;  the  gentle  mother,  and  atfectionate 
child  ;  the  widow  and  her  only  son.  Should  you  then  make 
mirth  ?  Unconverted  families,  when  you  meet  in  the  evening  to 
jest  and  sport  with  one  another,  ask  this  one  question,  should  we 
make  mirth  ?  Is  your  mirth  reasonable  ?  Is  it  worthy  of  rational 
beings  ?  Unconverted  companions,  who  meet  so  often  for  mirth 
and  amusement,  should  you  make  mirth  together  when  you  are  in 
such  a  case  ?  Ah  !  how  dismal  will  the  contrast  be  w'hen  God 
says,  "  Bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them  !" 

2d.  Sore  slaughter,  because  the  sword  is  the  sword  of  God. — If 
it  were  only  the  sword  of  man  that  is  furbished  and  sharpened  for 
the  slaughter,  it  would  not  be  very  terrible.  But  it  is  the  sword 
of  Almighty  God,  and  therefore  it  is  very  terrible.  "  Fear  not  them 
that  kill  the  body,  but  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do  ; 
but  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear.  Fear  him  who,  after 
he  hath  killed  the  body,  is  able  to  cast  body  and  soul  into  hell. 
Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him."  If  it  were  the  sword  of  man,  it 
could  reach  only  to  the  body  ;  but,  ah  !  it  is  the  sword  of  God, 
and  the  iron  will  enter  into  the  soul.  It  is  the  same  sword  that 
appeared  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  "  A  flaming  swcrd,  that  turned 
every  way  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life."  It  is  the  same 
sword  which  pierced  the  side  of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  agony. 
"  Awake,  O  sword  !  against  my  shepherd,  and  against  the  man 
that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  I  will  smite  the  shep- 
herd, and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered."  It  is  that  sword  of  which 
Christ  speaks  when  he  says,  "  It  shall  cut  him  asunder  and  ap- 
point him  h's  portion  with  hypocrites  ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth." 

Dear  brethren,  it  is  not  a  few  flesh  wounds  that  that  sword 


32  SERMON    IV. 

will  make.  It  will  cut  nsunder,  it  will  be  a  death-blow  ;  eternal 
death.  It  is  a  death  which  body  and  soul  will  be  always  dying, 
yet  never  dead. 

1.  Let  vie  speak  to  the  Old. — There  may  be  some  hearing  me  in 
whom  these  three  things  meet,  namely,  that  they  are  old,  and 
Christless,  and  full  of  mirth.  Oh  !  if  there  be  such  hearing  me, 
consider  your  ways — consider  if  your  mirth  be  worthy  of  a  ra- 
tional being.  I  have  shown  you  plainly  out  of  the  Scriptures 
what  your  case  is  :  (1.)  That  you  are  condemned  already.  (2.) 
That  God's  sword  is  ready.  (3.)  That  it  may  come  down  any 
moment.  (4.)  That  God  has  made  you  no  promise  to  stay  his 
hand.  And  (5.)  That  it  will  be  a  sore  slaughter.  Consider,  then, 
if  it  be  reasonable  to  believe  a  lie,  to  deceive  your  own  soul,  and 
say,  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace.  In  the  ordinary  course 
of  things,  you  must  soon  go  the  way  of  all  living — you  must  be 
gathered  to  your  fathers ;  and  then  all  that  I  have  said  will  be 
fulfilled.  Should  you  then  make  mirth  ?  Are  you  tottering  on 
the  brink  of  hell,  and  yet  living  prayerless  and  Christless,  and  play- 
ing youi-self  with  straws,  telling  over  the  oft-repeated  tale  of  youth, 
and  laughing  over  the  oft-repeated  jest  ?  Alas  !  what  a  depth  of 
meaning  was  there  in  the  word  of  feolomon  !  "I  said  of  laughter, 
it  is  mad,  and  of  mirth,  what  doth  it  ?  Even  in  laughter  the 
heart  is  sorrowful,  and  the  end  oi'that  mirth  is  heaviness." 

2.  Let  me  speak  to  the  Young. — There  may  be  many  hearing  me 
in  whom  these  three  things  meet ;  They  are  young  in  years,  far 
from  Christ,  and  yet  full  of  mirth.  Now,  my  dear  friends,  I  entreat 
you  consider  whether  your  mirth  is  reasonable.  The  sword  is 
sharpened  for  a  sore  slaughter.     Should  you  then  make  mirth  ? 

Ohj.  1.  Youth  is  the  time  for  mirth.  Ans.  I  know  well  youth 
is  the  time  for  mii'th.  The  young  lamb  is  a  happy  creature  as  it 
springs  about  on  the  green  pasture.  The  young  kid  leaps  from 
rock  to  rock  with  liveliest  glee.  The  young  horse  casts  its  heels 
high  in  the  air,  full  of  life  and  activity.  But  then  they  have  no 
sin,  and  you  have  ;  they  have  no  hell,  and  you  have.  If  you  will 
come  to  Jesus  Christ  now,  and  be  freed  from  wrath,  ah  I  then  you 
will  find  that  youth  is  the  time  for  mirth  ;  youth  is  the  time  for 
enjoying  sweet  peace  in  the  bosom,  and  liveliest  intercourse  with 
God,  and  brightest  hopes  of  glory. 

Ohj.  2.  You  would  have  us  be  gloomy  and  sad.  A7is.  God 
forbid.  All  that  I  maintain  is,  that  until  you  are  come  to  Christ, 
your  mirth  is  mad  and  unreasonable.  If  you  will  come  to  Christ, 
then,  be  as  happy  as  you  will;  there  are  no  bounds  to  your  joy 
there,  for  you  will  joy  in  God.  And  when  you  die,  you  will  come 
to  fulness  of  joy  in  his  presence,  and  pleasures  at  his  right  hand 
for  evermore. 

Obj.  3.  If  I  be  Christless,  it  will  not  bring  me  into  Christ  to  be 
sad,  and,  therefore,  I  may  as  well  be  merry.  Ans.  True,  to  be 
sad  will  not  bring  you  into  Christ ;  and  yet,  if  you  were  really 


SERMON    V.  33 

awakened  to  cry  to  God,  peradventure,  ne  would  hear  your  cry. 
If  you  were  striving  to  enter  in,  you  might  find  entrance.  If  you 
were  pressing  into  the  kingdom,  you  might  take  it  by  violence. 
Seek  meekness,  seek  righteousness.  It  may  be  ye  shall  be  hid  in 
the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger.  If  you  stay  where  you  are,  you  are 
sure  to  be  lost.  If  you  live  on  in  carnal  security,  in  mirth  and 
jollity,  while  you  are  out  of  Christ,  you  are  sure  to  perish. 

"  Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy  heart  cheer 
thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thine 
heart  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes ;  but  know  thou  that  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." 

Dundee,  1837 


SERMON  V. 

"  Unto  you,  0  men,  I  call ,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  man." — Prov  viii.,  4 

1.  These  are  the  words  of  wisdom;  and  wisdom  in  the  book  of 
Proverbs  is  no  other  than  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  evident  from  chap,  i.,  23,  where  he  says,  "  Behold,  I  will 
pour  out  my  spirit  unto  you ;"  but  it  is  Christ  alone  who  has  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  again,  from  viii.,  22,  where  he  says, 
"  The  Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  his  way  ;"  and  verse 
30,  "  Then  I  was  by  him  as  one  brought  up  with  him  ;  and  I  was 
daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him."  These  words  are 
true  of  none  but  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Word  that  was  with  God, 
and  was  God,  by  whom  all  things  were  made. 

2.  The  places  he  goes  to  with  the  invitation. — 1.  He  goes  to  the 
countr}/ .  He  climbs  every  eminence,  and  cries  there  ;  then  he 
descenus  tQ_  the  highway  where  many  roads  meet.  2.  He  goes 
to  the  city.  He  begins  at  the  gates  where  the  people  are  assem- 
bled to  make  bargains  and  hear  causes ;  then  he  proceeds  along 
the  principal  avenue  into  the  city,  and  cries  in  at  every  door  as  he 
passes.  He  first  goes  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  then 
goes  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  carrying  the  blessed 
message. 

3.  Observe  the  manner  in  which  he  invites. — He  cries  aloud  ; 
he  puts  forth  the  voice  ;  he  stands  and  cries  ;  he  calls  and  lifts  up 
his  voice  ;  he  seems  like  some  merchant  offering  his  wares,  first 
in  the  market  and  then  from  door  to  door.  Never  did  busy  crier 
offer  to  sell  his  goods  with  such  anxiety  as  Jesus  offers  his  salva- 
tion;  verse  10,  "Receive  my  instruction,  and  not  silver;  and 
knowledge  rather  than  choice  gold." 

4.  Observe  to  whom  the  invitation  is  addressed. — Verse  4.  "  Un- 
to you,  O  men,  I  calj ;  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  man."    Mer- 

3 


34  SERMON   V. 

chants  only  offer  their  ^oods  to  certain  classes  of  the  people  that 
will  buy  ;  but  Jesus  offers  his  to  all  men.  Wherever  there  is  a 
son  of  Adam,  wherever  there  is  one  born  of  woman,  the  word  is 
addressed  to  him ;  he  that  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear. 

Doctrine. — Christ  offers  himself  as  a  Saviour  to  all  of  the 
human  race. 

I.  The  most  awa]<eving  truth  in  all  the  Bible. — It  is  commonly 
thought  that  preaching  the  holy  law  is  the  most  awakening  truth 
in  the  Bible;  that  by  it  the  mouth  is  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
becomes  guilty  before  God  ;  and,  indeed,  I  believe  this  is  the  most 
ordinary  mean  which  God  makes  use  of.  And  yet  to  me  there  is 
something  far  more  awakening  in  the  sight  of  a  Divine  Saviour 
freely  offering  himself  to  every  one  of  the  human  race.  There  is 
something  that  might  pierce  the  heart  that  is  like  a  stone  in  that. 
cry,  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  man." 

1.  Had  you  lived  in  the  days  when  Noah  built  the  Ark,  had 
you  seen  that  mighty  vessel  standing  open  and  ready,  inviting  all 
the  world  to  come  into  its  roomy  cavities,  would  it  not  have  been 
the  most  awakening  of  all  sights  ?  Could  you  have  looked  upon 
it  without  thinking  of  the  coming  flood,  that  was  to  sweep  the 
ungodly  world  away? 

2.  Had  you  lived  in  the  times  when  Jesus  was  on  the  earth, 
had  you  seen  him  riding  down  the  Mount  Olivet,  and  stopping 
when  he  came  in  sight  of  Jerusalem,  lying  peaceful  and  slumber- 
ing at  his  feet,  had  you  seen  the  son  of  God  weep  over  the  city, 
and  say,  "  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day, 
the  things  which  belong  to  thy  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes,"  would  you  not  have  felt  that  some  awful  destruction 
was  awaiting  the  slumbering  city  1  Would  he  shed  these  tears 
for  nothing?  Surely  he  sees  some  day  of  woe  coming  which 
none  knows  but  himself. 

3.  Just  so,  dear  friends,  when  you  see  Jesus  here  running  from 
place  to  place ;  from  the  high  pkices  to  the  highways,  from  the 
highways  to  the  city  gates,  from  the  gates  to  the  doors  ;  when 
you  hear  his  anxious  cry,  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call,"  does  it  not 
show  that  all  men  are  lost,  that  a  dreadful  hell  is  before  them  ? 
Would  the  Saviour  call  so  loud  and  so  long  if  there  was  no  hell  ? 

Apply  this  to  slumbering  souls. 

\st,  Mark  who  it  is  that  calls  you  ;  it  is  Wisdom  !  Jesus  Christ, 
in  whom  arc  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge. 
•'  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call."  Often,  when  ministers  prick  youi 
hearts  in  their  sermons,  you  go  home  and  say,  "  Oh  !  it  was  only 
the  word  of  a  minister;  shall  I  tremble  at  the  words  of  a  man?" 
But  here  is  the  word  of  no  minister,  but  of  Christ.  Here  is  the 
word  of  one  who  knows  your  true  condition,  who  knows  your 
heart  and  your  history  ;  who  knows  your  sins  done  in  the  light, 
and  done  in  the  dark,  and  done  in  the  recesses  of  your  heart ; 


SERMON   V.  35 

who  knows  the  wrath  that  is  over  you,  and  the  hell  that  is  before 
you.     "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call." 

2d,  Mark  in  how  man]/  places  he  calls  you. — In  the  high  places 
and  the  highways,  in  the  gates,  in  the  entries,  at  the  coming  in  of 
the  doors.  Has  it  not  been  so  with  you  ?  Have  you  not  been 
called  in  the  Bible,  in  the  family,  in  the  house  of  prayer?  You 
have  gone  from  place  to  place,  but  the  Saviour  has  gone  after  you. 
You  have  gone  to  places  of  diversion,  you  have  gone  to  places  of 
sin,  but  Christ  has  followed  you.  You  have  lain  down  on  a  bed 
of  sickness,  and  Christ  has  followed  you.  Must  not  the  sheep  be 
in  great  danger,  when  the  shepherd  follows  so  far  in  search  of  it? 

3c?,  Hoiv  loud  he  cries. — He  calls  and  lifts  up  the  voice.  Has 
it  not  been  so  with  you  ?  Has  he  not  knocked  loudly  at  your 
door,  in  warnings,  in  providences,  in  deaths  ?  Has  he  not  cried 
loudly  in  the  preached  word  ?  Sometimes  when  reading  the  Bible 
alone,  has  not  the  voice  of  Christ  been  louder  than  thunder? 

4th,  He  cries  to  all. — Had  he  cried  to  the  old,  then  the  young 
would  have  said,  "  We  are  safe  ;  we  do  not  need  a  Saviour." 
Had  he  cried  to  the  young,  the  old  men  among  you  would  have 
said,  "  He  is  not  for  us."  Had  he  called  to  the  good  or  to  the  bad, 
still  some  would  have  felt  themselves  excused.  But  he  cries  to 
you  all.  There  is  not  one  person  hearing  but  Jesus  cries  to  you. 
Then  all  are  lost — old  and  young,  rich  and  poor.  Whatever  you 
think  of  yourselves,  Jesus  knows  you  to  be  in  a  lost  condition; 
therefore  this  piercing  cry,  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call." 

II  The  most  comforting  truth  in  the  Bible. — When  awakened 
persons  are  first  told  of  Jesus  Christ,  it  generally  adds  to  their 
grief  They  see  plainly  that  he  is  a  very  great  and  glorious  Sa- 
viour ;  but  then  they  feel  that  they  have  rejected  him,  and  they 
fear  that  he  never  can  become  their  Saviour.  Very  often  awak- 
ened persons  sit  and  listen  to  a  lively  description  of  Christ,  of 
his  work  of  substitution  in  the  stead  of  sinners  ;  but  their  ques- 
tion still  is,  "  Is  Christ  a  Saviour  to  me  ?"  Now,  to  this  question 
I  answer,  Christ  is  freely  offered  to  all  the  human  race.  "  Unto 
you,  O  men,  I  call."  If  there  were  no  other  text  in  the  whole 
Bible  to  encourage  sinners  to  come  freely  to  Christ,  this  one  alone 
might  persuade  them.  There  is  no  subject  more  misunderstood 
by  unconverted  souls  than  the  unconditional  freeness  of  Christ. 
So  little  idea  have  we  naturally  of  free  grace,  that  we  cannot  be- 
lieve that  God  can  offer  a  Saviour  to  us,  while  we  are  in  a  wicked 
hell-deserving  condition.  O  it  is  sad  to  think  how  men  argue  against 
their  own  happiness,  and  will  not  believe  the  very  Word  of  God  I 

All  the  types  showed  the  Saviour  to  be  free  to  all. 

(1.)  The  brazen  serpent  was  lifted  up  in  sight  of  all  Israel,  that 
any  one  might  look  nnd  be  healed  ;  and  Christ  himself  explains 
this.  "  So  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  on  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 


36  SERMON    V. 

(2.)  The  Refuge  City  set  on  a  hill,  with  its  gates  open  night 
and  clay,  showed  this.  Whosoever  will  may  flee  for  refuge  to  the 
hope  set  before  us. 

(3.)  The  angels  over  Bethlehem  repeated  the  same  thing  ;  "  Be- 
hold I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people."  And  the  last  invitation  of  the  Bible  is  the  freest  of  all : 
"Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Mark, 
also,  in  the  text  before  us,  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call."  This  shows 
that  he  is  not  free  to  devils ;  but  to  all  men,  to  every  one  that  has 
human  form  and  human  name,  the  Saviour  is  now  free.  It  is  not 
for  any  goodness  in  men,  not  for  any  change  in  them  that  Christ 
offers  himself;  but  just  in  their  lost  condition  as  men.  He  freelj^ 
puts  himself  within  their  reach.  There  are  many  stratagems  by 
which  the  devil  contrives  to  keep  men  away  from  Christ. 

1.  Some  say  there  is  no  hope  for  me.  "There  is  no  hope, 
no ;  for  I  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them  I  will  go.  I  have 
committed  such  great  sins,  I  have  sunk  so  deep  in  the  mire  of  sin, 
I  have  served  my  lusts  so  long,  that  there  is  no  use  of  me  thinking 
of  turning.  There  is  no  hope,  no."  To  you  I  answer,  there  is 
hope ;  your  sins  may  be  forgiven  for  Christ's  sake ;  there  is  for- 
giveness with  God.  Ah !  why  should  Satan  so  beguile  you  ? 
True,  you  have  waded  deep  into  the  mire  of  sin ;  you  have  destroyed 
yourself,  and  yet  in  Christ  there  is  help.  He  came  for  such  as  you. 
Christ  speaks  in  these  words  to  you — you  are  of  the  human  race, 
and  Christ  speaks  to  all  of  the  human  race — "  Unto  you,  O  men, 
I  call." 

2.  "  I  have  not  the  least  care  about  my  soul.  Up  to  this  mo- 
ment I  never  listened  to  a  sermon,  nor  attended  to  a  word  in  the 
Bible.  I  have  no  wish  to  hear  of  Christ,  or  God,  or  eternal  things." 
To  you  I  answer :  Still  Christ  is  quite  free  to  you.  Though  you 
have  no  care  for  your  soul,  yet  Christ  has,  and  wishes  to  save  it. 
Though  you  do  not  care  for  Christ,  yet  he  cares  for  you,  and 
stretches  out  his  hands  to  you.  Christ  did  not  come  to  the  earth 
because  people  were  caring  about  their  souls,  but  because  we 
were  lost.  You  are  only  the  more  lost.  Christ  is  all  the  more 
seeking  you.  This  day  you  may  find  a  Saviour.  "  Unto  vou,  O 
Men,  I  call." 

3.  "  If  I  knew  I  were  one  of  the  elect  I  would  come,  but  I  fear 
I  am  not."  To  you  I  answer :  Nobody  ever  came  to  Christ  be- 
cause they  knew  themselves  to  be  of  the  elect.  It  is  quite  true 
that  God  has  of  his  mere  good  pleasure  elected  some  to  everlast- 
mg  life,  but  they  never  knew  it  till  they  came  to  Christ.  Christ 
nowhere  invites  the  elect  to  come  to  him.  The  question  for  you 
is  not.  Am  I  one  of  the  elect  ?  but.  Am  I  of  the  human  race  ? 

4.  Some  of  you  may  be  saying,  "  If  I  could  see  my  name  in  the 
Bible  then  I  would  believe  that  Christ  wants  me  to  be  saved. 
When  Christ  called  Zaccheus,  he  said,  '  Zaccheus,  come  down.' 
He  called  him  by  name,  and  he  came  down  immediately.     Now, 


SERMON   V.  37 

if  Christ  would  call  me  by  name,  I  would  run  to  him  immedi- 
ately." Now,  to  you  I  say,  Christ  does  call  you  by  your  name, 
for  he  says,  '•  To  you,  O  men,  I  call."  Suppose  that  Christ  had 
written  down  the  names  of  all  the  men  and  women  in  the  world, 
your  name  would  have  been  there.  Now,  instead  of  writing 
down  every  name,  he  puts  them  all  together  in  one  word,  which 
includes  every  man,  and  woman,  and  child — "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I 
call ;  and  my  words  are  to  the  sons  of  man  /"  So  your  name  is 
in  the  Bible.  "  Go  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature." 
^j'  4»  "  If  I  could  repent  and  believe,  then  Christ  would  be  free  to 
me,  but  I  cannot  repent  and  believe."  To  you  I  say,  are  you 
not  a  man  before  you  repent  and  believe  ?  then  Christ  is  offered 
to  you  before  you  repent.  And,  believer,  Christ  is  not  offered  to 
you  because  you  repent,  but  because  you  are  a  vile,  lost  sinner. 
"  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call." 

6.  "  I  fear  the  market  is  over.  Had  I  come  in  the  morning  of 
life,  I  believe  Christ  was  offered  me  then — in  youth,  at  my  first 
sacrament ;  but  now,  I  fear,  the  market-day  is  done."  Are  you 
not  still  a  man,  one  of  the  human  race  ?  True,  you  have  refused 
the  Saviour  for  years,  yet  still  he  offers  himself  to  you.  It  was 
not  for  any  goodness  that  he  offered  himself  to  you  at  first,  but 
because  you  were  vile  and  lost.  You  are  vile  and  lost  yet,  so  he 
offers  himself  to  you  still.     "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call." 

I  would  here  then  take  occasion  to  make  offer  of  Christ  with 
all  his  benefits  to  every  soul  in  this  assembly.  To  every  man, 
and  woman,  and  child,  I  do  now,  in  the  name  of  my  Master,  make 
full,  free  offer  of  a  crucified  Saviour  to  be  your  surety  and  right- 
eousness, your  refuge  and  strength.  I  would  let  down  the  Gospel 
cord  so  low,  that  sinners,  who  are  low  of  stature  like  Zaccheus, 
may  lay  hold  of  it.  Oh  !  is  there  none  will  lay  hold  on  Christ,  the 
only  Saviour  ? 

III.   The  most  condemning  truth  in  the  Bible. 

If  Christ  be  freely  offered  to  all  men,  then  it  is  plain  that  all 
who  live  and  die  without  accepting  Christ  shall  meet  with  the 
doom  of  those  who  refuse  the  Son  of  God.  "  He  that  sinneth 
against  me  wrongeth  his  own  soul ;  all  they  that  hate  me  love 
death."  Ah  !  it  is  a  sad  thing  that  the  very  truth,  which  is  life  to 
every  believing  soul,  is  death  to  all  others.  "  This  is  the  con- 
demnation." We  are  a  sweet  savor  of  Christ  unto  God.  When 
the  ignorant  heathens  stand  at  the  bar  of  God — Hindoos,  and 
Africans,  and  Chinese — who  have  never  had  the  offer  of  Christ 
made  to  them,  they  will  not  be  condemned  as  those  will  that  have 
lived  and  died  unsaved  under  a  preached  Gospel.  Tyre  and 
Sidon  will  not  meet  the  same  doom  as  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida, 
and  unbelieving  Capernaum. 

Oh!  brethren,  you  are  without  excuse  in  the  sight  of  God,  if 
you  go  home  unsaved  this  day.      The  Gospel  cord  has  been  let 


38  SERMON    VI. 

down  as  low  as  to  every  one  of  you  this  day.  If  you  go  away 
without  laying  hold,  your  condemnation  will  be  heavier  at  the  last 
day.  If  Christ  had  not  come  to  you,  you  hud  not  had  sin,  but 
now  you  have  no  cloak  for  your  sin. 

Obj.  But  my  heart  is  so  hard  that  I  cannot  believe,  my  heart  is 
so  set  upon  worldly  things  that  I  cannot  turn  to  Christ.  I  was 
born  this  way.  Ans.  This  does  but  aggravate  your  guilt.  It  is 
true  you  were  born  thus,  and  that  your  heart  is  like  the  nether 
millstone.  But  that  is  the  very  reason  God  will  most  justly  con- 
demn you  ;  because  from  your  infancy  you  have  been  hard- 
hearted and  unbelieving.  If  a  thief,  when  tried  before  the  judge 
on  earth,  were  to  plead  guilty,  but  to  say  that  he  had  always  been 
a  thief,  that  even  in  infancy  his  heart  loved  stealing,  would  not 
this  just  aggravate  his  guilt,  that  he  was  by  habit  and  repute  a 
thief?     So  you. 

O  brethren,  if  you  could  die  and  say  that  Christ  had  never  been 
offered  to  you,  you  would  have  an  easier  hell  than  you  are  like  to 
have.  You  must  go  away  either  rejoicing  in  or  rejecting  Christ 
this  day ;  either  won,  or  more  lost  than  ever.  There  is  not  one  of 
you  but  will  yet  feel  the  guilt  of  this  Sabbath-day.  This  sermon 
will  meet  you  yet.  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh. 
"  How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  V 

St.  Peter's,  1838 


SERMON  VJ. 

That  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen 
with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled,  of  the 
Word  of  life  (for  the  life  was  manifested,  and  we  have  see ;i  it,  and  bear  witness, 
and  show  unto  you  that  eternal  life  which  was  with  the  Father,  and  was  mani- 
fested unto  us)  ;  that  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that 
ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us ;  and  truly  our  fellowsliip  is  with  the  Father, 
and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  And  these  things  write  we  unto  you  that  your 
joy  may  be  full." — 1  John  i.,  1-4. 

I.  The  subject  of  John^s  preaching. 

It  was  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.  "  That  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard,  declare  we  unto  you."  This  was  the  preaching 
of  John  the  Baptist — "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sins  ol  the  world."  He  pointed  to  Jesus.  This  was  the 
preaching  o{ Philip.  Acts  viii.,  5,  "  Philip  went  down  to  Samaria, 
and  preached  Christ  unto  them."  And  when  he  came  to  the 
Ethiopian  Eunuch,  "  he  preached  unto  him  Jesus."  This  was  the 
preaching  of  Paul.  "  I  determined  to  know  nothing  among  you, 
but  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified."  This  was  the  beginning,  and 
middle,  and  end  of  the  preaching  of  Paul.  This  was  the  preach- 
ing of  John.     To  declare  all  that  he  had  seen  with  his  eyes,  heard 


i 


SERMON   VI.  39 

with  his  cars,  handled  with  his  hands,  of  Immanuel  ;  this  was  the 
object  of  his  life,  this  was  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  his  preaching. 
He  knew  that  Jesus  was  like  the  alabaster  box,  full  of  spikenard, 
very  costly  ;  and  his  whole  labor  was  to  break  the  box,  and  pour 
forth  the  good  ointment  before  the  eyes  of  fainting  sinners,  that 
they  might  be  attracted  by  the  sweet  savor.  He  knew  that 
Jesus  was  a  bundle  of  myrrh,  and  his  whole  life  was  spent  in 
opening  it  out  to  sinners,  that  they  might  be  overcome  by  the  re- 
freshing odors.  He  carried  about  the  savor  of  Christ  with  him 
wherever  he  went.  He  knew  that  Jesus  was  the  Balm  of  Gilead, 
and  his  labor  was  to  open  out  this  bruised  balm  before  the  eyes  of 
sick  souls,  that  they  might  be  healed. 

1.  His  Eternity. — "  That  which  was  from  the  beginning." 
John  had  often  heard  Jesus  speak  of  his  eternity.  "  In  the  be- 
ginning was  the  Word."  "  Before  Abraham  was  I  am."  He 
remembered  how  Jesus  said  in  prayer  in  the  garden,  "  Glorify  me 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was." 
"  Thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  John 
thus  knew  that  he  was  the  Eternal  One — that  he  was  before  all 
visible  things,  for  he  made  them  all.  By  him  God  made  the  world. 
Even  at  the  time  John  was  leaning  on  his  bosom,  he  felt  that  it 
was  the  bosom  of  the  Uncreated  One.  John  always  declared 
this  ;  he  loved  to  make  him  known.  O  beloved,  if  you  have  come 
to  lean  on  the  bosom  of  Jesus,  you  have  come  to  the  Uncreated 
One — the  Eternal  One. 

2.  Was  with  the  Father. — -John  knew,  from  Prov.  viii.,  30,  that 
Jesus  had  been  with  the  Father — "  Then  I  was  by  him,  as  one 
brought  up  with  him,  and  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always 
before  him."  He  had  heard  Jesus  tell  many  of  the  secrets  of  his 
Father's  bosom,  from  which  he  knew  that  he  had  been  with  the 
Father.  "  All  things  that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father,  I  have 
made  known  unto  you."  He  had  heard  Jesus  plainly  say,  "  I  came 
forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come  into  the  world."  "  Again  I 
leave  the  world  and  go  to  the  Father."  John  felt  even  when  Jesus 
was  washing  his  feet  that  this  was  the  man  that  Was  God's  fellow. 
Even  when  he  saw  Jesus  on  the  Cross,  with  his  pale  lips  and 
bleeding  hands  and  feet,  like  a  tortured  worm,  and  "  no  man," 
lie  knew  that  this  was  the  man  that  was  God's  fellow.  He  lived 
to  declare  this.  Do  you  thus  look  to  Jesus  ?  Have  you  beheld 
the  glory,  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth  ?     O  tempcst-tosscd  soul,  this  is  he  that  comes  to  save  thee. 

3.  Eternal  Life. — John  knew  that  Jesus  was  the  author  of  all 
natural  life  ;  that  not  a  man  breathes,  no  beast  of  the  forest  roars, 
no  bird  stoops  on  the  wing,  but  they  all  receive  the  stream  of  life 
from  the  hand  of  Immanuel.  He  had  seen  Jesus  raise  the  Ruler's 
daughter  from  the  dead,  and  call  Lazarus  from  the  tomb.  He 
knew  that  Jesus  was  the  author  of  all  life  in  the  soul.  He  had 
heard  Jesus  say — "  As  the  father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quicken- 


40  SERMON   VI. 

eth  whom  he  will,  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will." 
"  My  sheep  know  my  voice,  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life." 
He  had  heard  him  say,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
Above  all,  he  had  felt  in  his  own  soul  that  Christ  was  the  Eternal 
Life.  In  that  morning,  when  he  sat  with  his  father,  Zebedee,  in 
the  boat,  mending  their  nets,  Jesus  said,  "  Follow  me  !"  and  the 
life  entered  into  his  soul,  and  he  found  it  a  never  failing  spring  of 
life.  Christ  was  his  life  ;  therefore  did  he  make  him  known  as 
the  eternal  life.  Even  when  he  saw  him  give  up  the  ghost,  when 
he  saw  his  pale,  lifeless  body,  the  stiff  hands  and  feet,  the  glazed 
eye,  the  body  cold  as  the  rocky  tomb  where  they  laid  him,  still 
he  felt  that  this  was  the  Eternal  Life.  O  beloved,  do  you  believe 
that  he  is  the  life  of  the  world  1  Some  of  you  feel  your  souls  to 
be  dead,  lifeless  in  prayer,  lifeless  in  praise.  Oh  !  look  on  him 
whom  John  declares  to  you.  All  is  death  without  him.  Bring 
your  dead  soul  into  union  with  him,  and  he  will  give  you  eternal 
life. 

4.  Manifested. — 0  beloved,  if  Jesus  had  not  been  manifested, 
you  had  never  been  saved.  It  would  have  been  quite  righteous 
in  God  to  have  kept  his  Son  in  his  own  bosom — to  have  kept  that 
jewel  in  his  own  place  upon  the  throne  of  heaven.  God  would 
have  been  the  same  lovely  God  ;  but  we  would  have  lain  down 
in  burning  hell.  If  that  Eternal  Life  which  was  with  the  Father 
— if  he  had  remained  in  his  glory  as  the  living  one — then  you 
and  I  would  have  borne  our  own  curse.  But  he  was  manifested 
— "  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh — ^justified  in  the  spirit — seen 
of  angels — believed  on  in  the  world — received  up  into  glory." 
John  saw  him — he  saw  his  lovely  countenance — he  beheld  his 
glory,  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of 
grace  and  truth.  He  saw  that  better  Sun  veiled  with  flesh  that 
could  not  keep  the  beams  of  his  Godhead  from  shining  through. 
He  saw  him  on  the  Mount,  when  his  face  shone  like  the  sun.  He 
saw  in  the  Garden,  where  he  lay  upon  the  ground.  He  saw  him 
on  the  Cross,  when  he  hung  between  earth  and  heaven.  He 
looked  upon  him — many  a  time  he  looked  up  on  his  heavenly  coun- 
tenance— his  eye  met  his  eye.  He  heard  him — heard  the  voice 
that  said,  "  Let  there  be  light !"  He  heard  the  voice  like  the  sound 
of  many  waters.  He  heard  all  his  gracious  words — his  words 
concerning  God  and  the  way  of  peace.  He  heard  him  say  to  a 
sinner,  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  He 
handled  him — he  put  his  hands  in  his  hands,  his  arms  around  his 
arms,  and  his  head  upon  his  bosom.  Perhaps  he  handled  his  body 
when  it  was  taken  from  the  cross — touched  the  cold  clay  of 
Immanuel.  O  beloved,  it  is  a  manifested  Christ  we  declare  unto 
you.  It  is  not  the  Son  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father — that  would 
never  have  saved  you.  It  is  Jesus  manifested  in  flesh.  The  Son 
of  God  living  and  dymg  as  man  instead  of  sinners  ;  him  we 
declare  unto  you. 


SERMON   VI.  41 

Learn  the  true  way  of  coming  to  peace. — It  is  by  looking  to  a 
manifested  Jesus.  Some  of  you  think  you  will  come  to  peace  hy 
looking  in  to  your  own  heart.  Your  eye  is  riveted  there.  You 
watch  every  change  there.  If  you  could  only  see  the  glimpse  of 
light  there,  O  what  joy  it  would  give  you  !  If  you  could  only  see 
a  nnelting  of  your  stony  heart — if  you  could  only  see  your  heart 
turning  to  God — if  you  could  only  see  a  glimpse  of  the  imnge  of 
Jesus  in  your  heart — you  would  be  at  peace  ;  but  you  cannot — 
all  is  dark  within.  O  dear  souls,  it  is  not  there  you  will  find 
peace.  You  must  avert  the  eye  from  your  bosom  altogether. 
You  must  look  to  a  declared  Christ.  Spread  out  the  record  of 
God  concerning  his  Son.  The  Gospels  are  the  narrative  of  the 
heart  of  Jesus,  of  the  work  of  Jesus,  of  the  grace  of  Jesus. 
Spread  them  out  before  the  eye  of  your  mind,  till  they  fill  your 
eye.  Cry  for  the  Spirit  to  breathe  over  the  page — to  make  a 
manifested  Christ  stand  out  plainly  before  you ;  and  the  moment 
that  you  are  willing  to  believe  all  that  is  there  spoken  concerning 
Jesus,  that  moment  you  will  wipe  away  your  tears,  and  change 
your  sighs  for  a  new  song  of  praise. 

II.   The  object  John  had  in  vieu)  by  preaching  Christ. 

1.  That  ye  may  have  fellowship  with  us. — To  have  fellowship 
with  another  is  to  have  things  in  common  with  him.  Thus  in 
Acts  iv.,  32,  the  first  Christians  were  "  of  one  heart  and  of  one 
soul ;  neither  said  any  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed 
was  his  own,  but  they  had  all  things  in  common.^'  They  had  all 
their  goods  in  common,  they  shared  what  they  had  with  one  ano- 
ther. This  is  what  John  desired  in  spiritual  things,  that  we 
should  share  with  him  in  his  spiritual  things,  share  and  share  alike. 

\st,  Forgiveness. — Some  people  think  it  impossible  to  have  the 
same  forgiveness  that  the  Apostles  had — that  it  would  be  very 
bold  to  think  of  tasting  the  same.  But  is  it  not  far  bolder 
to  say  that  John  is  a  liar,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  liar  ? 
for  he  here  says  plainly,  that  all  his  preaching,  and  all  his 
desire  was,  that  you  should  have  fellowship  with  him.  Yes, 
sinner,  forgiveness  is  as  open  to  you  as  it  was  to  John.  The 
blood  that  washed  him  is  ready  to  wash  you  as  white  as  snow. 
John  had  the  same  need  of  Christ  that  the  vilest  of  you  have. 
Only  look  to  a  declared  Immanuel ;  clear  your  eye  from  unbelief, 
and  look  at  a  freely  revealed  Jesus,  and  you  will  find  the  same 
forgiveness  is  as  free  to  you  as  it  was  to  John. 

2d,  The  same  love  of  Jesus. — John  was  the  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved.  Just  as  Daniel  was  the  prophet  whom  he  greatly  loved — 
"  a  man,  greatly  beloved."  So  John  was  the  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved.  At  the  last  supper  which  Jesus  had  in  this  world,  John 
leaned  upon  his  bosom.  He  had  the  nearest  place  to  the  heart  of 
Christ  of  any  in  all  the  world.  Perhaps  you  think  it  is  impossible 
you  can  ever  come  to  that.     Some  of  you  are  trembling  afar  off; 


42  SERMON    VI. 

but  yon,  too,  if  you  will  only  look  where  John  points  you,  if  you 
will  only  believe  the  full  record  of  God  about  Jesus,  will  share  the 
love  of  Jesus  with  John,  you  will  be  one  of  his  peculiarly  beloved 
ones.  Those  that  believe  most,  must  get  love,  they  come  near- 
est to  Jesus,  they  do,  as  it  were,  lay  their  heads  on  his  breast ; 
and  no  doubt  you  will  one  day  really  share  that  bosom  with  John. 
If  you  believe  little,  you  will  keep  far  off  from  Jesus. 

3d,  The  same  fatherly  dealings  as  John. — John  experienced 
many  wonderful  dealings  of  God.  He  experienced  many  of  the 
prunings  of  the  Father.  He  was  a  fruitful  branch,  and  the  Father 
pruned  him  that  he  might  bring  forth  more  Iruit.  When  he  was 
very  old,  he  was  banished  to  Patmos,  an  island  in  the  ^Egean  Sea, 
and,  it  is  supposed,  made  a  slave  in  the  mines  there.  He  was  a 
companion  in  tribulation  ;  but  he  had  many  sweet  shinings  of  the 
Father's  love  to  his  soul.  He  had  sweet  revelations  of  Christ  in 
the  time  of  his  affliction  ;  and  he  was  joyfully  delivered  out  of  all 
his  troubles.  He  experienced  peculiarly  the  fatherly  dealings  of 
God.  And  so  may  you  do,  believer.  Look  where  John  looked, 
believe  as  John  believed,  and,  like  him,  you  will  find  that  you  have 
a  father  in  heaven,  who  will  care  for  you,  who  will  correct  you 
in  measure,  who  will  stay  his  rough  wind  in  the  day  of  his  east 
wind,  who  will  preserve  you  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

2.  Fellowship  loith  the  Father. — O  beloved,  this  is  so  wonderful, 
that  I  could  not  have  believed  it,  if  I  had  not  seen  it.  Shall  a  hell- 
deserving  worm  come  to  share,  with  the  holy  God  ?  O  the  depth 
and  the  length  of  the  love  of  God,  it  passeth  knowledge  ! 

\st,  In  his  holiness. — A  natural  man  has  not  a  spark  of  God's 
holiness  in  him.  There  is  a  kind  of  goodness  about  you. 
You  may  be  kind,  pleasant,  agreeable,  good-natured,  amiable 
people,  there  may  be  a  kind  of  integrity  about  you,  so  that  you 
are  above  stealing  or  lying ;  but  as  long  as  you  are  in  a  natural 
state,  there  is  not  a  grain  of  God's  hoLness  in  you.  You  have 
not  a  grain  of  that  absolute  hatred  against  all  sin  which  God  has  ; 
you  have  none  of  that  flaming  love  for  what  is  lovely,  pure, 
holy,  which  dwells  in  the  heart  of  God.  But  the  moment  you 
believe  on  a  manifested  Christ,  that  moment  you  receive  the 
Spirit,  the  same  spirit  which  dwells  in  the  infinite  bosom  of  the 
Father  dwelleth  in  you,  so  you  become  partakers  of  God's  holiness, 
you  become  partakers  of  the  Divine  nature.  You  will  not  be  as  holy 
as  God  ;  but  the  same  stream  which  flows  through  the  heart  of 
God  will  be  given  you.  Ah  !  does  not  your  heart  break  to  be 
holler  I  Look  then  to  Jesus,  and  abide  in  him,  and  you  will  share 
the  same  spirit  with  God  himself. 

2ri,  In  his  joy. — No  joy  is  like  the  Divine  joy.  It  is  infinite, 
full,  eternal,  pure,  unmingled  joy.  It  is  light,  without  any  cloud 
to  darken  it ;  it  is  calm,  without  any  breath  to  ruffle  it.  Clouds 
and  darkness  are  round  about  him,  storms  and  fire  go  before  him ; 
but  within,  all  is  peace  ineffable,  unchangeable.     Believers  in  some 


SERMON    VI.  43 

measure  share  in  this  joy.  We  might  mention  some  of  the  elements 
of  God's  joy.  First,  All  things  happen  according  to  the  good  plea- 
sure of  his  will.  He  has  fore-ordained  whatsoever  comes  to  pass- 
Nothing  comes  unprepared  upon  God.  Many  things  are  hateful  in 
his  sight,  yet,  looking  on  the  whole,  he  can  delight  in  all.  If  you  have 
come  to  Christ,  you  will  have  some  drops  of  his  joy.  You  can 
look  upon  all  events  with  a  calm,  holy  joy,  knowing  that  your 
Father's  will  and  purposes  alone  shall  stand.  Second,  The  Con- 
version of  Souls.  There  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of 
God  over  one  sinner  repenting,  more  than  over  ninety-nine  who 
need  no  repentance.  1  have  no  doubt  that  this  is  one  of  the  great 
elements  of  his  joy,  seeing  souls  brought  into  his  favor.  God  loves 
to  save  ;  he  delighteth  in  mercy  ;  he  delights  when  he  can  be  a 
just  God  and  a  Saviour.  If  you  are  come  to  Christ,  you  will  have 
the  same  joy. 

3.  Fellowship  with  the  Son. 

1st.  We  share  with  the  Son  in  his  justification. — Once  Jesus 
was  unjustified,  once  there  were  sins  laid  to  his  charge,  the  sins  of 
many.  It  was  this  that  occasioned  his  agony  in  the  garden,  on 
the  cross.  His  only  comfort  was,  "  He  is  near  that  juslificth  me," 
He  knew  the  time  would  be  short.  But  now  the  wrath  of  God 
has  all  fallen  upon  him.  The  thunder-clouds  of  God's  anger  have 
spent  all  their  lightnings  on  his  head.  The  vials  of  God's  wrath 
have  poured  out  their  last  drops  upon  him.  He  is  now  justified 
from  all  the  sins  that  were  laid  upon  him.  He  has  left  them  with 
the  grave-clothes.  His  fellow-men  and  devils  laid  all  sins  to  his 
charge  ;  he  was  silent.  Do  you  believe  this  record  concerning 
the  Son  ?  Do  you  cleave  to  Jesus  as  yours  ?  Then  you  have 
fellowship  wilh  him  in  his  justification.  You  are  as  much  justified 
as  Christ  is.  There  is  as  little  guilt  lying  upon  you  as  there  is 
upon  Christ.  The  vials  of  wrath  have  not  another  drop  for  Christ, 
nor  another  drop  for  you.    You  are  justified  from  all  things. 

2d,  His  adoption. — When  Jesus  went  up  to  heaven,  he  said, 
*'  I  go  to  my  Father."  When  he  entered  heaven,  the  word  of 
God  was,  "  Thou  art  my  Son  :  sit  thou  on  my  right  hand  until  I 
make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool."  Oh  !  it  was  a  blessed  ex- 
change, when  he  left  the  frowiis  and  curses  of  this  world  for  the 
embrace  of  his  Father's  arms,  when  he  left  the  thorny  crown  for 
a  crown  of  glory,  when  he  came  from  under  the  wrath  of  God 
into  the  fatherly  love  of  God.  Such  is  your  cliange — you  that 
believe  in  Jesus.  You  have  fellowship  with  the  Son — you  share 
in  his  adoption.  He  says,  •'  I  ascend  to  my  Father  and  your 
Father."  God  is  as  much  your  Father  as  he  is  Christ's  Father — 
your  God  as  Christ's  God.  O  what  a  change  !  for  an  heir  of  hell 
to  become  an  heir  of  God,  and  joint  heir  with  Christ,  to  inherit 
God,  to  have  a  son's  interest  in  God  !  Eternity  alone  will  teach 
you  what  is  in  that  word,  "  heir  of  God." 

4.  Jby  full. — Other  joys  are  not  filling.     Creature  joys  only  fill 


44  SERMON    VII. 

a  small  part  of  the  soul.  Money,  houses,  lands,  music,  entertain- 
ments, friends — these  are  not  filling  joys ;  they  are  just  drops  of 
joys.  But  Christ  revealed  makes  the  cup  run  over.  "  Thou 
anointest  my  head  with  oil  :  my  cup  runneth  over.  Believing  in 
a  manifested  Christ,  fills  the  heart  full  of  joy.  "  In  thy  presence 
is  fullness  of  joy."  Christ  brings  the  soul  into  God's  presence. 
One  smile  of  God  fills  the  heart  more  than  ten  thousand  smiles  of 
the  world. 

You  that  have  nothing  but  creature  joy,  hunting  after  butterflies, 
feeding  upon  carrion  :  why  do  you  spend  money  for  that  which 
is  not  bread  ?  You  that  are  afflicted,  tempest-tossed,  and  not 
comforted,  look  to  a  manifested  Jesus.  According  to  your  faith, 
so  be  it  unto  you.  Believe  none,  and  you  will  have  no  joy.  Be- 
lieve little,  and  you  will  have  little  joy.  Believe  much,  and  you 
will  have  much  joy.  Believe  all,  and  you  will  have  all  joy,  and 
your  joy  will  be  full.  It  will  be  like  a  bowl  lipping  over — good 
measure,  pressed  down,  and  running  over.     Amen. 

St.  Peter's,  1839. 


SERMON    VII. 

"  A  garden  enclosed  is  my  sister,  my  spouse  ;  a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed." 
—Song  iv.,  12. 

Doctrine. — The  Believer  is  Christ's  Garden. 

I.  The  name  here  given  to  Believers.  "  My  sister,  my  spouse," 
or  rather,  '*  my  sister  spouse."  There  are  many  sweet  names 
from  the  lips  of  Christ  addressed  to  believers  :  "  O  thou  fairest 
among  women,"  i.,  8  ;  "  My  love,"  ii.,  2  ;  "  My  love,  my  fair 
one,"  ii.,  10  ;  "  O  my  dove,"  ii.,  14  ;  "  My  sister,  my  love,  my  dove, 
my  undefiled,"  v.,  2  ;  "  O  prince's  daughter,"  vii.,  1.  But  here  is 
one  more  tender  than  all,  "  My  sister,  my  spouse,"  iv.,  9 ;  and 
again,  verse  10  ;  and  here,  verse  12.  To  be  spoken  well  of  by 
the  world,  is  little  to  be  desired  ;  but  to  hear  Christ  speak  such 
words  to  us,  is  enough  to  fill  our  hearts  with  heavenly  joy.  The 
meaning  you  will  see  by  what  Paul  says,  1  Cor.  ix.,  5,  '•  Have  we 
not  power  to  lead  about  a  sister,  a  wife,  as  well  as  other  Apostles  ?" 
He  means  power  to  marry  one  who  is  like-minded,  a  sister  in  the 
Lord,  one  who  will  be  both  a  wife  and  a  sister  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 
a  wife  by  covenant,  a  sister  by  being  born  of  the  same  Father  in 
heaven.  So  Christ  here  says  of  believers,  "  My  sister,  my  spouse ;" 
that  they  are  not  only  united  to  him  by  choice  and  covenant,  but 
are  like-minded  also. 

I.  These  two  things  are  inseparable. — Some  would  like  to  be  the 


SERMON    VII,  45 

spouse  of  the  Saviour,  without  being  the  sister.  Some  would  like 
to  be  saved  by  Christ,  but  not  to  be  made  hke  Christ.  When 
Christ  chooses  a  sinner,  and  sets  his  love  on  the  soul,  and  when 
he  woos  the  soul  and  draws  it  into  covenant  with  himself,  it  is 
only  that  he  may  make  the  soul  a  sister ;  that  he  may  impart  his 
features,  his  same  heart,  his  all  to  the  soul.  Now  many  rest  in 
the  mere  forgiveness  of  sins.  Many  have  felt  Christ  wooing  their 
soul,  and  offering  himself  freely  to  them,  and  they  have  accepted 
him.  They  have  consented  to  the  match.  Sinful  and  worthless, 
and  hell-deserving,  they  find  that  Christ  desires  it — that  he  will 
not  be  dishonored  by  it — that  he  will  find  glory  in  it ;  and  their 
heart  is  filled  with  joy  in  being  taken  into  covenant  with  so  glo- 
rious a  bridegroom.  But  why  has  he  done  it  ?  To  make  you 
partaker  of  his  holiness,  to  change  your  nature,  to  make  you 
sister  to  himself,  of  his  own  mind  and  spirit.  He  has  sprinkled 
you  with  clean  water,  only  that  he  may  give  you  a  new  heart 
also.  He  brings  you  to  himself  and  gives  you  rest,  only  that  he 
may  make  you  learn  of  him,  his  meekness  and  lowliness  in  heart. 

1.  Inseparable. — You  cannot  be  the  spouse  of  Christ  without 
becoming  sister  also.  Christ  offers  to  be  the  bridegroom  of  sin- 
covered  souls.  He  came  from  heaven  for  this  :  took  flesh  and  blood 
for  this.  He  tries  to  woo  sinners,  standing  and  stretching  out  his 
hands.  He  tells  them  of  all  his  power,  and  glory,  and  riches,  and 
that  all  shall  be  theirs.  He  is  a  blood-sprinkled  bridegroom  ;  but 
that  is  his  chief  loveliness.  The  soul  believes  his  word,  melts 
under  his  love,  consents  to  be  his.  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I 
am  his."  Then  he  washes  the  soul  in  his  own  blood,  clothes  it  in 
his  own  righteousness,  takes  it  in  with  him  to  the  presence  of  his 
Father.  From  that  day  the  soul  begins  to  reflect  his  image. 
Christ  begins  to  live  in  the  soul.  The  same  heart,  the  same  spirit, 
are  in  both.  The  soul  becomes  sister  as  well  as  spouse  ;  Christ's 
not  only  by  choice  and  covenant,  but  by  likeness  also.  Some  of 
you  Christ  has  chosen  :  you  have  become  his  justified  ones.  Do 
you  rest  there  ?  No  :  remember  you  must  be  made  like  him — 
reflect  his  image  :  you  cannot  separate  the  two. 

2.  The  order  of  the  two. — You  must  be  first  the  spouse  before 
you  can  be  the  sister  of  Christ ;  his  by  covenant  before  his  by  like- 
ness. Some  think  to  be  like  Christ  first,  that  they  will  copy  his 
features  till  they  recommend  themselves  to  Christ.  No  :  this  will 
not  do.  He  chooses  only  those  that  have  no  comeliness,  polluted 
in  their  own  blood,  that  he  may  have  the  honor  of  washing  them. 
•'  When  thou  wast  in  thy  blood  ;"  Ezek.  xvi.,  6.  Are  there  any 
trying  to  recommend  themselves  to  Christ  by  their  change  of  life  ? 
O  how  little  you  know  him  !  He  comes  to  seek  those  who  are 
black  in  themselves.  Are  there  some  of  you  poor,  defiled,  un- 
clean? You  are  just  the  soul  Christ  woos.  Proud,  scornful? 
Christ  woos  you.  He  offers  you  his  all,  and  then  he  will  change 
you. 


46  SERMON   VII. 

III.  To  what  Christ  co?npares  Believers :  "  A  garden  enclosed.^ 
— The  gardens  in  the  Enst  are  always  enclosed:  sometimes  by  a 
fence  of  reeds,  such  are  the  gardens  of  cucumbers  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  sometimes  by  a  stone  wall,  as  the  garden  of  Gelhsemane  ; 
sometimes  by  a  hedge  of  prickly  pear.  But  what  is  still  more 
interesting  is,  they  arc  often  enclosed  out  o^  a  wilderness.  All 
around  is  often  barren  sand  ;  and  this  one  enclosed  spot  is  like  the 
garden  of  the  Lord.     Such  is  the  believer. 

1.  Enclosed  hij  election. — In  the  eye  of  God,  the  world  was  one 
great  wilderness,  all  barren,  all  dead,  all  fruitless.  No  part  was 
fit  to  bear  anything  but  briers.  It  was  nigh  unto  cursing.  One 
part  was  no  better  than  another  in  his  sight.  The  hearts  of  men 
were  all  hard  as  a  rock,  dry  and  barren  as  the  sand.  Out  of  the 
mere  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  he  marked  out  a  garden  of  delights 
where  he  might  show  his  power  and  grace,  that  it  might  be  to  his 
praise.  Some  of  you  know  your  election  of  God  by  the  fruit  of 
it,  by  your  faith,  love,  and  holiness,  Be  humbled  by  the  thought 
that  it  was  solely  because  he  chose  you.  Why  me,  Lord  ? 
why  me  ? 

2.  Enclosed  hy  the  Spirit's  worh. — Election  is  the  planning  of 
the  garden.  The  Spirit's  work  is  the  carrying  it  into  effect. 
Isaiah  v.,  2,  "  He  fenced  it."  When  the  Spirit  begins  his  work,  it 
is  separating  work.  When  a  man  is  convinced  of  sin,  he  is  no 
more  one  with  the  careless,  godless  world.  He  avoids  his  com- 
panions, goes  alone.  When  a  soul  comes  to  Christ,  it  is  still  more 
separated.  It  then  comes  into  a  new  world.  He  is  no  more  under 
the  curse,  no  more  under  wrath.  He  is  in  the  smile  and  favor  of 
God.  Like  Gideon's  fleece,  he  now  receives  the  dew  when  all 
around  is  dry. 

3.  Enclosed  hy  the  arms  of  God. — God  is  a  wall  of  fire.  Angels 
are  around  the  soul.  Elisha's  hill  was  full  of  horses  of  fire.  God  is 
round  about  the  soul,  as  the  mountains  stand  round  about  Jerusalem. 
The  soul  is  hid  in  the  secret  of  God's  presence.  No  robber  can 
ever  come  over  the  fence.  "  A  vineyard  of  red  wine,  I  the  Lord 
do  keep  it ;  I  will  water  it  every  moment ;  lest  any  hurt  it,  I  will 
keep  it  night  and  day."  (Isaiah  xxvii.,  2,  3).  This  is  sung  over 
thee. 

IV.  Well-watered  garden. — Watered  in  three  ways.  L  By  a 
hidden  well.  It  is  the  custom  in  the  East  to  roll  a  stone  over  the 
mouth  of  a  well,  to  preserve  the  water  from  sand.  2.  By  a  foun- 
tain of  living  water,  a  well  always  bubbling  up.  3.  By  streams 
from  Lebanon. 

1.  "  ^  spring  shut  up. — This  describes  the  Spirit  in  the  heart, 
in  his  most  secret  manner  of  working.  In  some  ijardens  there  is 
only  this  secret  well.  A  stone  is  over  the  mouth.  If  you  wish  to 
water  the  garden,  you  must  roll  away  the  stone,  and  let  down  the 
bucket.     Such  is  the  life  of  God  in  many  souls.     Some  of  you 


SERMON   VII.  47 

feel  that  there  is  a  stone  over  the  mouth  of  the  well  in  yon.  Your 
own  rocky  heart  is  the  stone.  Stir  up  the  gift  of  God  which  is  in 
thee. 

2.  A  wzll  of  living  water. — This  is  the  same  as  John  iv. — a  well 
that  is  ever  full  and  running  over.  Grace  new  every  moment ; 
fresh  upspringings  from  God. — Thus  only  will  you  advance. 

3.  Streams  from  Lebanon. — These  are  very  plentiful.  On  all 
sides  they  fall  in  pleasant  cascades,  in  the  bottom  unite  into  broad, 
full  streams,  and  on  their  way  water  the  richest  gardens.  The 
garden  of  Ibrahim  Pacha,  near  Acre,  is  watered  with  streams 
from  Lebanon.  So  believers  are  sometimes  favored  with 
streams  from  the  Lebanon  that  is  above.  We  receive  out  of 
Christ's  fulness  ;  drink  of  the  wine  of  his  pleasures.  O  for  more 
of  these  streams  of  Lebanon  !  Even  in  the  dry  season  they  are 
full.  The  hotter  the  summer,  the  streams  from  Lebanon  become 
the  fuller ;  because  the  heat  only  melts  the  mountain  snows. 

V.  The  Fruit. — The  very  use  of  a  garden  is  to  bear  fruit  and 
flowers.  For  this  purpose  it  is  enclosed,  hedged,  planted,  water- 
ed. ]i'  it  bear  no  fruit  nor  flowers,  all  the  labor  is  lost  labor. 
The  ground  is  nigh  to  cursing.  So  is  it  with  the  Christian. 
Three  remarkable  things  are  here. 

1.  No  weeds  are  ?nentioned. — Pleasant  fruit-trees,  and  all  the 
chief  spices  ;  but  no  weeds.  Had  it  been  a  man  that  was  describ- 
ing his  garden,  he  would  have  begun  with  the  weeds  ;  the  unbe- 
lief, corruption,  evil  tempers,  &c.  Not  so  Christ.  He  covers  all 
the  sins.  The  weeds  are  lost  sight  of  He  sees  no  perversity. 
As  in  John  xvii.,  '•  They  have  kept  thy  word  ;  they  are  not  of  the 
world."     As  in  Rev.  ii.,  2,  "  I  know  thy  works." 

2.  Fruits. — The  pomegranate,  the  very  best ;  all  pleasant  fruits. 
And  all  his  own.  "  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found  ;"  "PLs  pleasant 
fruits  ;"  verse  16.  The  graces  that  Christ  puts  into  the  heart  and 
brings  out  of  the  life  are  the  very  best,  the  richest,  most  pleasant, 
most  excellent  that  a  creature  can  produce.  Love  to  Christ,  love 
to  the  brethren,  love  to  the  Sabbath,  forgiveness  of  enemies,  all 
the  best  fruits  that  can  grow  in  the  human  heart.  Unreasonable 
world !  to  condemn  true  conversion,  when  it  produces  the  very 
fruits  of  paradise,  acceptable  to  God,  if  not  to  you.  Should  not 
this  make  you  stand  and  consider  1 

3.  Spices. — These  spices  do  not  naturally  grow  in  gardens. 
Even  in  the  East,  there  never  was  such  a  display  as  this.  So  the 
fragrant  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  not  natural  to  the  heart.  They 
are  brought  from  a  far  country.  They  must  be  carefully  watch- 
ed. They  need  the  stream,  and  the  gentle  zephyr.  Oh  !  I  fear 
most  of  you  should  hang  your  heads  when  Christ  begins  to  speak 
of  fi-agrant  spices  in  your  heart.  Where  are  they  ?  Are  there 
not  talkative,  forward  Christians?  Are  there  not  self-seeking, 
praise-seeking,  man-pleasing  Christians?     Are  there  not  proud- 


48  SERMON   VIII. 

praying  Christians  ?     Are  there  not  ill-tempered  Christians  ?     Are 
there  not  rash,  inconsiderate  ones  ?     Are  there  not  idle,  lazy,  bad- 
working  Christians  1     Lord,  where  are  the  spices  ?     Verily,  Christ 
is  a  bundle  of  myrrh.     O  to  be  like  him !     O  that  every  flower 
and  fruit  would  grow  !     They  must  come  from  above.     Man  / 
there  are  of  whom  one  is  forced  to  say,  "  Well,  they  may  be  Chri{_''- 
tians  ;  but  I  would  not  like  to  be  next  them  in  heaven  !"     Cry  ia 
the  wind  ;  "  Awake,  O  north  wind,  and  come,  thou  south  ;  blov 
upon  my  garden  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow  out." 


SERMON  VIII.* 

•'  (Who  is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilderness  leaning  upon  her  beloved  ?) 
I  raised  thee  up  under  the  apple-tree ;  there  thy  mother  brought  thee  forth ; 
There  she  brought  thee  forth  that  bare  thee.  Set  me  as  a  seal  upon  thine  heart, 
as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm  ;  for  love  is  strong  as  death  ;  jealousy  is  cruel  as  the 
grave ;  the  coals  thereof  are  coals  of  fire,  which  hath  a  most  vehement  flame. 
Many  waters  cannot  quench  love,  neither  can  the  floods  drown  it;  if  a  man  would 
give  all  the  substance  of  his  house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  be  contemned." 
Song  viii.,  5,  G,  7. 

We  are  introduced  to  the  great  Redeemer  and  a  believing  soul, 
and  are  made  to  hear  their  converse. 

I.   The  posture  of  the  Church. 

1.  From  the  Wilderness. — To  a  child  of  God  this  world  is  a 
wilderness.  First,  Because  everything  is  fading  here.  Here  is 
nothing  abiding  ;  money  takes  wings  and  flees  away ;  friends  die. 
All  are  like  grass,  and  if  some  are  more  beautiful,  or  more  engag- 
ing than  others,  still  they  are  only  like  the  flower  of  the  grass  :  a 
little  more  ornamented,  but  withering  often  sooner.  Sometimes 
a  worldly  comfort  is  like  Jonah's  gourd  ;  it  came  up  over  his  head 
to  be  a  shadow  to  deliver  him  from  his  grief  So  Jonah  was  ex- 
ceeding glad  of  the  gourd.  But  God  prepared  a  worm,  when 
the  morning  rose  the  next  day,  and  it  smote  the  gourd  that  it 
withered.  So  our  worldly  comfort  sometimes  grows  up  over  our 
head  like  a  shadow,  and  we  are  exceeding  glad  of  our  gourd  ;  but 
God  prepares  a  worm,  we  faint,  and  are  ready  to  die.  Here  we 
have  no  continuing  city ;  but  we  seek  one  to  come.  This  is  a 
wilderness  :  "  Arise,  depart,  this  is  not  thy  rest,  for  it  is  polluted," 
An  experienced  Christian  looks  upon  everything  here  as  not  abid- 
ing ;  for  the  things  that  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  that 
are  not  seen  are  eternal.  Second,  Because  everything  is  stained 
with  sin  here.     Even  the  natural  scenery  of  this  world  is  stained 

*This  is  all  that  exists  of  this  Sermon,  which  was  memorable  to  many.  It  is 
Jjttle  more  than  a  sketch. 


SERMON    VIII,  49 

with  sin.  The  thorns  and  thistles  tell  of  a  cursed  earth.  Above 
all,  when  you  look  at  the  floods  of  ungodly  men,  "  We  are  of  God, 
and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness."  The  world  does  not 
know  a  Christian,  and  does  not  love  him.  Though  you  love 
them,  and  would  lay  down  your  body  that  they  might  pass  over 
to  glory,  yet  they  will  not  hear.  Above  all,  the  sin  in  our  own 
heart  makes  us  bend  down  under  our  burden,  and  feel  this  to  be  a 
valley  of  weeping.  Ah,  wretched  man  !  if  we  had  no  body  of 
sin,  what  a  sweet  glory  would  appear  in  everything ;  we  would 
sing  like  the  birds  in  spring. 

2.  Coming  out  of  it.-. — Unconverted  souls  are  going  down  into 
the  wilderness  to  perish  there.  All  Christians  are  coming  up  out 
of  it.  Sabbath-days  are  like  milestones — marking  our  way  ;  or 
rather  they  are  like  the  wells  we  used  to  come  to  at  evening. 
Every  real  Christian  is  making  progress.  If  the  sheep  are  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  shepherd,  it  is  always  getting  nearer  the  fold. 
With  some  the  shepherd  takes  long  steps.  Dear  Christians,  you 
should  be  advancing,  getting  higher,  nearer  to  Canaan,  riper  for 
glory.  In  the  south  of  Russia,  the  country  is  of  vast  plains,  rising 
by  steps.  Dear  friends,  you  should  get  on  to  a  higher  place,  up 
another  step  every  Sabbath-day.  In  travelling,  you  never  think 
of  making  a  house  in  the  wilderness.  So,  dear  friends,  do  not 
take  up  your  rest  here,  we  are  journeying.  Let  all  your  endea- 
vors be  to  get  on  in  your  journey. 

3.  Leaning  upon  her  Beloved. — It  is  very  observable  that  there 
is  none  here  but  the  bride  and  her  beloved,  in  a  vast  wilderness. 
She  is  not  leaning  upon  him  with  one  arm,  and  upon  somebody 
else  with  the  other  ;  but  she  is  leaning  upon  him  alone.  So  it  is 
with  the  soul  taught  of  God ;  it  feels  alone  with  Christ  in  this 
world  ;  it  leans  as  entirely  upon  Christ  as  if  there  were  no  other 
being  in  the  universe.  She  leans  all  her  weight  upon  her  husband. 
When  a  person  has  been  saved  from  drowning,  they  lean  all  their 
weight  upon  their  deliverer.  When  the  lost  sheep  was  found,  he 
took  it  upon  his  shoulder.  You  must  be  content  then  to  lean  all 
your  weight  upon  Christ.  Cast  the  burden  of  temporal  things 
upon  him.  Cast  the  care  of  your  soul  upon  him.  If  God  be  for 
us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?  They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall 
renew  their  strength.  The  eagle  soars  so  directly  upward  that 
poets  have  fancied  it  was  aiming  at  the  sun.  So  does  the  soul  that 
waits  on  Christ. 

II.   Christ's  Word  to  the  leaning  soul. 

1.  "  /  raised  thee  up,"  &c. — He  reminds  the  believer  of  his 
natural  state.  Every  soul  now  in  Christ  was  once  like  an  exposed 
infant  (Ezek.  xvi.),  cast  out  into  the  open  field.  "  Behold  I  was 
shapen  in  iniquity."  Do  not  forget  what  you  were.  If  ever  you 
come  to  forget  what  you  were,  then  you  may  be  sure  you  are'not 
right  with  God.  Observe  when  the  contrition  comes.  When 
4 


so  SERMON    IX. 

you  are  leaning  on  Christ,  then   he  tells  you  of  your  sin  and 
misery.     Ezck.  xxxvi.,  31. 

2.  He  reminds  you  of  his  love,  *'  I  raised  thee  up."  He  himself 
is  the  apple-tree,  open  on  all  sides  round,  affording  shadow  and 
fruit.  I  raised  thee.  Christ  not  only  shelters,  but  draws  into  the 
shelter.  "  To  him  be  glory."  Are  there  not  some  who  feel  like 
an  infant — cast  out?  Turn  your  eye  to  Christ,  he  only  can  raise 
up  your  soul  under  the  apple-tree. 

III.   TJie  leaning  soul  cries  for  continued  grace. 

Set  me  as  a  seal. — It  is  a  sure  mark  of  grace  to  desire  more. 
The  High  Priest  had  a  beautiful  breast-plate  over  his  breast, 
adorned  with  jewels — make  me  one  of  these.  He  had  also  a  jewel 
on  each  shoulder — make  me  one  of  these.  These  were  bound 
with  chains  of  gold  ;  but  the  believer  with  chains  of  love.  This 
is  a  true  mark  of  grace.  If  you  be  contented  to  remain  where 
you  are,  without  any  more  nearness  to  God.  or  any  more  holiness, 
this  is  a  clear  mark  you  have  got  none.  Hide  me  deeper,  bind 
me  closer,  and  carry  me  more  completely. 

1.  The  love  of  Christ  is  strong  as  death. — Death  is  awfully 
strong.  When  he  comes  upon  a  stout  young  man,  he  brings  him 
down.     So  is  the  love  of  Christ. 

2.  Cruel,  or  stubborn,  as  the  grave. — The  grave  will  not  give  up 
its  dead,  nor  will  Chrii^t  give  up  his  own.  O  pray  that  this  love 
may  embrace  you.  Vehement  as  hell — unquenchable  fire.  You 
have  your  choice,  dear  friends,  of  two  eternal  fires — "  Who  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ,"  &c.  Rom.  viii.  Floods 
cannot  drown  it — afflictions  cannot. 

3.  It  cannot  he  bought. — "  If  a  man  would  give  all  the  sub- 
stance," &LC.     You  must  accept  it  free  or  not  at  all. 

Dundee,  1S40. 


SERMON  IX. 

'  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number  of  all 
nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  be- 
fore the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands :  and  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all  the  angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  about 
tlie  elders  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell  beibre  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and  wor- 
shipped God,  Saying,  Amen :  Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving, 
and  honor,  and  power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  Gcd,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 
And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me,  What  are  these  which  are  ar- 
rayed in  white  robes?  and  whence  came  they .'  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou 
knowest.  And  he  said  unto  me.  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribu- 
lation, and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night 
in  his  temple ;  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dTrell  among  them.    They 


SERMON    IX.  51 

shall  hunger  no  IT  ore,  neither  thirst  anymore:  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on 
them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall 
feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters;  and  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." — Rev.  vii.,  9  to  the  end. 

It  is  one  thing  to  read  these  words  with  a  poet's  eye,  and  another 
thing  to  read  them  with  the  eye  of  a  Christian.  O  pray,  clear 
friends,  that  the  Spirit  may  tear  away  the  veil  from  our  hearts, 
and  show  us  the.  grand  reahties  that  are  here.  It  is  sweet  and 
profitable. 

1.  For  the  awakening  of  the  ungodly,  that  you  may  see  what 
are  the  exercises  of  the  heavenly  world,  and  how  unfit  you  would 
be  for  them.  I  suppose  many  of  you  feel  that  you  have  not 
washed  your  robes,  and  that  you  could  not  sing  their  song.  Then 
you  must  be  on  the  road  to  hell. 

2.  For  the  instruction  of  believers. — It  shows  you  what  are  the 
chief  employments  of  that  happy  world,  where  we  shall  so  soon 
be  ;  it  gives  you  the  key-note  of  the  heavenly  song ;  it  teaches 
you  to  spend  much  of  your  time  in  the  same  exercises  in  which 
you  shall  spend  eternity. 

3.  For  comfort  to  afflicted  believers. — It  shows  you  how  short 
your  trials  will  be.  These  light  afflictions  are  but  for  a  moment ; 
you  need  not  murmur  nor  grieve  ;  a  little  while  and  we  shall  be 
with  Christ,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  your  tears.  For  this 
end  it  was  given  to  John. 

I.   What  John  saw  and  heard. 

1.  A  great  multitude  of  all  nations. — When  John  was  on  earth 
he  saw  but  few  believers ;  "  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world 
lieth  in  wickedness."  The  Church  was  like  a  lily  in  a  field  of 
thorns,  lambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves  ;  but  now  quite  different; 
thorns  are  plucked  away;  the  lilies  innumerable.  ^^  Out  of  all 
nations." — Perhaps  he  could  discern  his  fellow-apostles,  hisown 
brother  James,  and  holy  Paul,  and  angel-faced  Stephen,  the  dark 
Egyptian,  the  swarthy  Ethiopian,  the  wool-headed  negro,  the  far 
distant  Chinese,  the  Burman,  the  Hindoo,  the  blue-eyed  German, 
the  dark-eyed  Italian,  and  multitudes  perhaps  from  a  distant  island 
of  the  sea.  Every  country  had  its  representatives  there,  some 
saved  out  of  every  land.  All  were  like  Christ,  and  yet  all  retained 
their  different  peculiarities.  Learn  that  Christ  will  have  a  glorious 
crown.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied. 
Often,  when  I  look  at  a  large  town  like  Dundee,  and  see  so  few 
converted  to  Christ,  my  heart  sickens  with  me ;  I  often  feel  as  if 
we  were  laboring  for  naught  and  in  vain.  Although  there  has 
been  so  much  blessing,  yet  such  masses  of  ungodly  families  !  But 
O  cheer  up,  Christ  shall  have  his  full  crown.  Though  there 
should  not  be  another  saved  out  of  this  place,  Christ  will  have  his 
full  reward.  We  shall  be  quite  satisfied  when  we  see  the  whole. 
He  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.     Learn  the  power 


52  SERMON    IX. 

of  his  blood.  It  blots  out  the  sins  of  all  that  multitude,  sins  of 
every  name  and  dye.  Why  not  yours  ?  Oh  !  when  such  a  glo- 
rious company  are  saved,  why  should  you  be  lost?  When  so 
many  are  going  out  of  this  place,  why  should  you  keep  back? 

2.  Their  position. — They  stood  before  the  throne,  yea,  nearer 
than  the  angels,  for  they  stood  round  about.  The  redeemed  stood 
next  the  throne,  the  angels  round  them.  This  marks  their  com- 
plete righteousness.  But  the  ungodly  cannot  stand  in  the  judg- 
ment. If  God  were  only  to  bring  an  ungodly  man  into  his  pre- 
sence, he  would  die.  You  greatly  mistake  if  you  think  God  needs 
to  put  out  great  strength  to  destroy  you.  As  a  cloud  is  dried  up 
by  being  in  the  light  of  the  sun,  so  you  would  perish  at  the  pre- 
sence of  God  as  a  moth  in  a  candle.  But  this  great  company 
stand  next  the  throne,  God's  eye  full  upon  them.  In  Christ  they 
stand,  not  in  themselves.  Nearer  than  angels  ;  the  angels  have 
only  creature-righteousness,  these  have  on  Creator-righteousness. 
The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  a  million  times  more  lovely  than 
that  of  the  highest  angel,  therefore  they  stand  nearer.  The 
righteousness  of  God  is  upon  them  all,  who  shall  condemn  ?  If 
you  are  ever  to  be  near  God,  you  may  come  freely  to  him  now. 
Why  keep  so  far  away  ? 

3.  Their  dress ;  white  robes  and  palms. — They  have  all  the 
same  dress,  there  is  no  difference.  It  is  the  garment  of  Christ. 
One  was  a  far  greater  believer  than  another,  made  far  greater  ad- 
vances in  holiness,  yet  the  same  dress.  Whiter  than  the  angels,  v. 
13. — The  angels  also  are  represented  as  dressed  in  white;  yet  it 
would  appear  that  their  robes  were  far  outshone  by  the  bright 
shining  raiment  of  the  redeemed.  The  angels  have  on  creature 
righteousness,  the  redeemed  the  righteousness  of  God.  This  is 
■what  is  now  offered  to  you,  sinners.  Awakened  persons  are  some- 
times led  to  cry,  "  O  that  I  had  never  sinned ;"  but  here  is  some- 
thing better  than  if  you  had  never  sinned.  Palms  are  signs  of 
victory.  The  Jews  used  to  take  branches  of  palms  at  the  feast 
of  tabernacles,  or  ingathering,  which  was  a  type  of  heaven.  The 
angels  have  no  palms ;  for  they  have  fought  no  fight,  they  have 
gained  no  victory.  Every  one  that  has  a  white  robe  has  a  palm. 
Every  one  that  is  in  Christ  shall  overcome.  Be  not  afraid  of  your 
enemies. 

4.  Their  song. — The  substance  of  it — Salvation. — They  give  God 
all  the  glory.  On  earth,  there  are  many  that  cannot  believe  in  an 
electing  God,  that  God  chose  them  for  no  good  in  them ;  but  in 
heaven  they  all  feel  it,  and  give  him  all  the  praise.  On  earth, 
many  speak  of  making  themselves  willing  ;  but  in  heaven  they  sing 
"  Salvation  to  God."  On  earth,  many  go  about  to  establish  their 
own  righteousness  ;  in  heaven,  "  glory  to  the  Lamb."  On  earthj 
many  take  Christ  as  part  of  their  righteousness,  and  their  duties 
as  part ;  in  heaven  all  give  glory  to  the  Lamb.  What  say  you  to 
this  song  ?    Does  it  find  an  echo  in  your  heart  ?    Remember  you 


SERMON    IX.  53 

must  begin  it  now,  if  you  are  to  sing  it  afterwards.    The  effect  of  it 

it  stirs  up  the  hearts  of  the  angels,  verses  11,  12. — Often  on  "earth, 
when  one  believer  begins  to  praise  God  for  what  he  has  done  for 
his  soul,  it  stirs  up  the  hearts  of  others.  So  in  heaven,  when  the 
angels  hear  the  voice  of  redeemed  sinners,  brands  plucked  out 
of  the  fire,  standing  in  near  the  throne,  they  will  obtain  a  ravish- 
ing view  of  the  glory  of  God,  his  mercy  and  grace  ;  they  will  foil 
down  and  worship  God.  They  will  not  envy  the  redeemed  their 
place  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  be  filled  with  intense  praise  by  hear- 
ing of  what  God  has  done  for  their  souls.  How  do  you  feel  when 
you  hear  of  others  being  saved  and  brought  nearer  to  God  than 
you  1  Do  you  envy  and  hate  them,  or  do  you  fall  down  and 
praise  God  for  it  1 

II.   Their  past  history,  verses  13,  14. 

Two  particulars  are  given.     Each  had  a  different  history ;  still 
in  these  two  they  were  alike. 

1.  They  had  washed  their  robes. — This  leads  us  back  to  their 
conversion.  Once  every  one  of  that  company  had  filthy  garments. 
They  were  like  Joshua,  their  garments  were  spotted  by  the  flesh. 
It  was  like  a  garment  with  the  leprosy  in  it.  Some  stained  with 
blood,  spots  of  blood  upon  their  garments  ;  some  with  adultery  ; 
some  with  disobedience  to  parents ;  some  with  pride,  falsehood, 
evil  speaking ;  all,  all  were  stained.  Every  one  was  convinced 
that  he  could  not  make  himself  clean ;  he  could  not  wash  hi^ 
garments  nor  throw  them  off,  he  was  brought  to  see  himself  lost 
and  helpless.  Jesus  was  revealed  to  him,  and  his  precious  blood 
shed  for  sinners,  even  the  chief,  saying  to  the  heavy  laden,  "  Come 
to  me."  Of  all  that  company  there  is  not  one  stands  there  in  any 
other  way.  All  are  washed  in  blood.  It  is  their  only  way  of 
standing.  Have  you  been  washed  in  blood  ?  You  will  find  not 
one  in  heaven  who  went  there  in  any  other  way.  You  think  to 
go  to  heaven  by  your  own  decency,  innocency,  attention  to  duties. 
Well,  you  would  be  the  only  such  one  there  ;  all  are  washed  in 
blood.     Come  and  let  us  reason  together. 

2.  They  came  out  of  great  tribulation. — Every  one  that  gets  to 
the  throne  must  put  their  foot  upon  the  thorn.  The  way  to  the 
crown  is  by  the  cross.  We  must  taste  the  gall  if  we  are  to  taste 
the  glory.  When  justified  by  faith,  God  led  them  into  tribulations 
also.  When  God  brought  Israel  through  the  Red  Sea,  he  led  them 
into  the  wilderness  ;  so  when  God  saves  a  soul  he  tries  it.  He 
never  gives  faith  without  trying  it.  The  way  to  Zion  is  through 
the  valley  of  Baca.  You  must  go  through  the  wilderness  of  Jor- 
dan if  you  are  to  come  to  the  Land  of  Promise.  Some  believers 
are  much  surprised  when  they  are  called  to  suffer.  They  thought 
they  would  do  some  great  thing  for  God  ;  but  all  that  God  permits 
them  to  do  is  to  suffer.  Go  round  every  one  in  glory,  every  one 
has  a  different  story,  yet  every  one  has  a  tale  of  suflering.     One 


54  SERMON    IX. 

was  persecuted  in  his  family,  by  his  friends  and  companions  ; 
another  was  visited  by  sore  pains  and  humbling  disease,  neglect- 
ed by  the  world  ;  another  was  bereaved  of  children  ;  another  had 
all  these  afflictions  meeting  in  one  ;  deep  called  unto  deep.  Mark, 
all  are  brought  out  of  them.  It  was  a  dark  cloud,  but  it  passed 
away ;  the  water  was  deep,  but  they  have  reached  the  other  side. 
Not  one  of  them  blames  God  for  the  road  he  led  them  ;  "  salvation" 
is  their  only  cry.  Is  there  any  of  you,  dear  children,  murmuring 
at  your  lot?  Do  not  sin  against  God.  This  is  the  way  God  leads 
all  his  redeemed  ones.  You  must  have  a  palm  as  well  as  a  white 
robe.  No  pain,  no  palm ;  no  cross,  no  crown  ;  no  thorn,  no 
throne ;  no  gall,  no  glory.  Learn  to  glory  in  tribulations  also. 
"I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us." 

III.  Future  history. 

1.  Immediate  service  of  God. — Here,  we  are  allowed  to  spend 
much  of  our  time  in  our  worldly  callings.  It  is  lawful  for  a  man 
to  win  his  bread,  to  plough,  sow,  reap,  to  spin  and  weave.  Then, 
all  our  strength  will  be  put  forth  in  the  immediate  service  of  God. 
We  shall  stand  before  him  and  he  shall  dwell  among  us.  It  will 
be  a  perpetual  Sabbath.  We  shall  spend  eternity  in  loving  God, 
in  adoring,  admiring,  and  praising  God.  We  should  spend  much 
of  our  present  time  in  this.  Some  people  imagine  that  they  are 
not  serving  God  unless  they  are  -visiting  the  sick,  or  engaged  in 
some  outward  service ;  whereas  the  highest  of  all  service  is  the 
love  of  adoration  in  the  soul.  Perhaps  God  gets  more  glory  by  a 
single  adoring  look  of  some  poor  believer  on  a  sick  bed,  than  from 
the  outward  labors  of  a  whole  day. 

2.  Not  in  the  wilderness  any  more. — At  present  we  are  like  a 
flock  in  the  wilderness,  our  soul  often  hungry,  and  thirsty,  and 
sorely  tried.  Ol\en  we  feel  as  if  we  could  go  no  further,but  must 
lie  down  and  die.  Often  we  feel  temptations  too  much  for  us,  or 
persecutions  too  strong  for  us  to  bear.  When  we  are  with 
Christ  we  shall  hunger  no  more,  all  our  pains  shall  be  ended. 
Learn  to  glorify  him  in  the  fires,  to  sing  in  the  wilderness.  This 
is  the  only  world  where  you  can  give  God  the  glory. 

3.  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  will  bless  us. — The  Lamb  shall  ked 
us — he  that  died  for  us.  We  shall  always  see  our  security  before 
us  in  our  Surety ;  no  trembling  shall  ever  come  over  our  soul. 
He  shall  be  one  like  us — a  lamb — like  the  least  of  us  ;  we  shall 
learn  of  God  from  him.  The  Spirit  will  be  like  "living  fountains 
of  water."  Here,  we  never  have  enough  ;  there,  without  mea- 
sure. The  Father  will  be  a  father  to  us.  He  will  wipe  away 
tears  ;  the  tears  we  shed  in  dying  ;  wilderness  tears ;  the  tears 
over  lost  friends,  and  a  perishing  world.  "  What  manner  of 
persons  ought  we  to  be  I" 

Dundee,  1840. 


SERMON   X.  55 


SERMON  X. 

"  For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels  :  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed 
of  Abraham.  Wherefore  in  all  things  it  behoved  him  to  be  made  like  unto  his 
brethren,  that  he  might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest  in  things  pertain- 
ing to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  people.  For  in  that  he 
himself  hath  suffered,  being  tempted,"  he  is  able  to  succor  them  that  ai-e 
tempted."— Heb.  ii.,  16-18. 

Doctrine. — Christ  a  merciful  High  Priest. 

I.  The  sovereign  mzrcy  of  Christ  in  becoming  man. — •*  For 
verily  he  look  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels ;  but  he  took  on 
him  the  seed  of  Abraham."  We  read  of  two  great  rebellions  in 
the  history  of  the  universe — the  rebelhon  of  the  angels,  and  the 
rebellion  of  man.  For  infinitely  wise  and  gracious  purposes  God 
planned  and  permitted  both  of  these,  that  out  of  evil  he  might 
bring  forth  good.  The  first  took  place  in  heaven  itself.  Pride 
was  the  sin  by  which  the  angels  fell,  and,  therefore,  it  is  called 
"  the  condemnation  of  the  devil."  "  They  kept  not  their  first 
estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation."  "  God  spared  them  not,  but 
cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  of  dark- 
ness, to  be  reserved  unto  judgment."  The  next  fall  took  place  on 
earth.  Satan  tempted,  and  man  fell ;  believed  the  devil  rather 
than  God,  and  so  came  under  the  curse.  "  Thou  shalt  surely 
die."  Both  of  these  families  came  under  the  same  frown,  under 
the  same  condemnafion,  both  were  condemned  to  the  same 
"  everlasting  hre,"  But  the  glorious  Son  of  God  resolved,  from 
all  eternity,  to  die  for  sinners.  Now,  for  which  of  the  two  shall 
he  die  ?  Perhaps  the  angels  in  heaven  would  long  that  he  should 
die  for  their  once  brother  angels.  The  angelic  nature  was 
higher  than  that  of  man.  Men  had  fallen  deeper  into  sin  than  the 
rebel  angels.  Will  he  not  die  for  angels  1  Now,  here  is  the 
answer — "  Verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels  ;  but  he 
took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham."  Here  is  sovereign  mercy 
passing  by  one  family  and  coming  to  another.  Let  us  wonder  and 
adore  the  sovereign  merc}^  of  Jesus. 

1.  Do  not  be  surprised  if  Jesus  passes  many  by.  The  Lord 
Jesus  has  been  riding  through  our  country  in  a  remarkable  man- 
ner, seated  on  his  white  horse,  and  wearing  many  crowns.  He 
has  sent  out  many  arrows  and  pierced  many  hearts  in  this  place, 
and  brought  many  to  his  feet ;  but  has  he  not  passed  many  by  ? 
Are  there  not  many  given  up  to  their  own  hearts'  lust,  and  walk- 
ing in  their  own  counsel  ?  Be  not  surprised.  This  is  the  very 
way  he  did  when  he  came  to  this  earth  ;  he  passed  the  gate  of 
hell.  Although  his  bosom  was  full  of  love  and  grace,  although 
"  God  is  love,"  he  felt  it  not  inconsistent  to  pass  fallen  angels  by, 
and  to  come  and  die  for  men.     And  so,  though  Jesus  is  love  still, 


56  SERMON   X. 

yet  he  can  save  some,  and  leave  others  to  be  hardened.  "  Many 
widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  time  of  Elijah  the  prophet ;  but  unto 
none  of  them  was  Elijah  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a  city  of  Zidon, 
unto  a  woman  that  was  a  widow."  And  many  lepers  were  in 
Israel  at  the  time  of  Elisha  the  prophet,  and  none  of  them  was 
cleansed,  saving  Naa'man,  the  Syrian. 

2.  If  Christ  has  visited  your  soul,  give  him  all  the  glory.  "  Not 
unto  us,  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  glory."  The 
only  reason  why  you  are  saved  is  the  sovereign  compassion  of 
Jesus.  It  is  not  that  you  are  better  than  others,  that  you  were 
less  wicked,  of  better  dispositions,  more  attentive  to  your  Bible. 
Many  who  have  been  left  have  been  much  more  blameless  in  their 
life.  It  is  not  that  you  have  sat  under  a  peculiar  ministry.  God 
has  made  the  same  ministry  a  means  of  hardening  multitudes.  It 
is  the  free  grace  of  God.  Love  God  for  ever  and  ever,  because 
he  chose  you  of  his  own  free  will.  Adore  Jesus,  that  he  passed 
by  millions,  and  died  for  you.  Adore  the  holy  Ghost,  that  he  came 
out  of  free  sovereign  mercy  and  awakened  you.  It  will  be  matter 
of  praise  through  eternity. 

3.  If  Christ  is  now  visiting  your  soul,  do  not  trifle  with  him. 
Some  persons,  when  Christ  begins  to  knock  at  the  door  of  their 
heart,  put  him  off  from  time  to  time.  They  trifle  with  their  con- 
victions. They  say,  I  am  too  young  yet,  let  me  taste  a  little  more 
pleasure  of  the  world  ;  youth  is  the  time  for  mirth  ;  another  time 
I  will  open  the  door.  Some  say,  I  am  too  busy ;  I  have  to  pro- 
vide for  my  family  ;  when  I  have  a  more  convenient  season  I  will 
call  for  thee.  Some  say,  I  am  strong  and  healthy  ;  I  hope  I  have 
many  years  to  live  ;  when  sickness  comes,  then  I  will  open  the 
door.  Consider  that  Christ  may  not  come  again.  He  is  knock- 
ing now ;  let  him  in.  Another  day  he  may  pass  by  your  door. 
You  cannot  command  convictions  of  sin  to  come  when  you  like. 
Christ  is  entirely  sovereign  in  saving  souls.  No  doubt,  many  of 
you  have  had  your  last  knock  from  Christ.  Many  of  you  that 
were  once  concerned,  are  not  so  now ;  and  you  cannot  bring  it 
back  again.  There  is  no  doubt  a  time  in  every  man's  life  when, 
if  he  opens  the  door,  he  will  be  saved  ;  if  he  does  not  he  will 
perish.  Probably  this  may  be  that  time  to  many  of  you.  Christ 
may  be  giving  last  knocks  to  some  to-day. 

II.  Christ  made  like  us  in  all  things. — Christ  not  only  became 
man,  but  it  behooved  him  to  be  made  like  us  in  all  things.  He 
suffered,  being  tempted. 

In  my  last  lecture,  I  showed  you  the  only  two  points  in  which 
he  was  different  from  us.  L  In  being  God  as  well  as  man.  In 
the  manger  at  Bethlehem,  there  lay  a  perfect  infant,  but  there  also 
was  Jehovah.  That  mysterious  being  who  rode  on  an  ass's  colt, 
and  wept  over  Jerusalem,  was  as  much  a  man  as  you  are,  and  as 
much  God  as  the  Father  is.     The  tears  he  shed  were  human  tears. 


SERMON    X.  57 

yet  the  love  of  Jehovah  sw^elled  below  his  mantle.  That  pale 
being  that  hung  quivering  on  the  cross  was  indeed  man,  it  was 
human  blood  that  flowed  from  his  wounds,  but  he  was  as  truly 
God.  2.  In  being  without  sin.  He  was  the  only  one  in  human 
form  of  whom  it  can  be  said,  He  was  holy,  harmless,  undefiled 
and  separate  from  sinners  ;  the  only  one  on  whom  God  could  look 
down  from  heaven  and  say,  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased.  Every  member  of  our  body  and  faculty  of  our 
mind  we  have  used  as  the  servants  of  sin.  Every  member  of  his 
body  and  faculty  of  his  mind  were  used  only  as  servants  to  holi- 
ness. His  mouth  was  the  only  human  mouth  from  which  none 
but  gracious  words  ever  proceeded.  His  eye  was  the  only  hu- 
man eye  that  never  shot  forth  flames  of  pride,  or  envy,  or  lust. 
His  hand  was  the  only  human  hand  that  never  was  stretched  forth 
but  in  doing  good.  His  heart  was  the  only  human  heart  that  was 
not  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked.  When 
Satan  came  to  him,  he  found  nothing  in  him.  Now,  in  these  two 
things  it  behooved  him  to  be  unlike  his  brethren,  or  he  could  not 
have  been  a  Saviour  af  all.  In  all  other  things  it  behooved  him  to 
be  made  like  us.  There  was  no  part  of  our  condition  that  he  did 
not  humble  iiimself  unto. 

1.  He  passed  through  all  the  terms  of  our  life  from  childhood 
to  manhood.  \st,  He  was  an  infant  of  days,  exposed  to  all  the 
pains  and  dangers  of  inflxncy.  "  Ye  shall  find  the  babe,  wrapped 
in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger."  2d,  He  bore  the  trials 
and  pains  of  boyhood.  Many  a  one,  no  doubt,  would  wonder  at 
the  holy  boy  in  the  carpenter's  shop  at  Nazareth.  He  grew  in 
wisdom,  and  in  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man.  ^d,  He 
bore  the  afflictions  and  anxieties  of  manhood,  when  he  began  to 
be  about  thirty  years  of  age. 

2.  He  tasted  the  difficulties  of  many  situations  in  life.  The  first 
thirty  years,  it  is  probable,  he  shared  the  humble  occupation  of 
Joseph  the  carpenter  ;  he  tasted  the  trials  of  working  for  his  daily 
bread.  Then  he  subsisted  on  the  kindness  of  others.  Certain 
women,  which  followed  him,  ministered  unto  him  of  their  sub- 
stance. He  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head.  Many  a  night  he 
spent  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  or  on  the  hills  of  Galilee.  Then, 
he  bore  the  trials  of  a  gospel  minister.  He  preached  from  morn- 
ing till  night,  and  yet  with  how  small  success  ;  so  that  he  could 
say,  "  I  have  labored  in  vain,  I  have  spent  my  strength  for  naught 
and  in  vain."  How  often  he  was  grieved  by  their  unbelief ;  he 
marvelled  at  their  unbelief !  "  O  faithless  generation  1  how  long 
shall  I  be  with  you,  how  long  shall  I  sufffer  you  V  How  often  he 
offended  many  by  his  preaching  !  "  Many  said,  this  is  an  hard 
saying;  who  can  bear  it  ?"  "  From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples 
went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Jesus  ;"  John  vi,,  68.  How 
often  they  hated  him  for  his  love  !  "  For  my  love  they  are  my 
adversaries  :  but  I  gave  myself  unto  prayer  ;"  Ps.  cix.,  4.     How 


58  SERMON    X. 

his  own  disciples  grieved  him  by  their  want  of  faith  !  "  0  ye  of 
little  faith,  have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you  !"  The  unbelief 
of  Thomas — their  sleeping  in  the  garden — forsaking  him  and 
fleeing — Peter  denying — Judas  betraying  him  ! 

3.  What  trials  lie  had  from  his  own  family  !  Even  his  own 
brothers  did  not  believe  on  him,  but  mocked.  The  people  of  his 
town  tried  to  throw  him  over  the  rocks.  What  pain  he  suffered 
from  his  mother,  when  he  saw  the  sword  piercing  her  fond  heart ! 
Now  he  said  to  John,  "  Behold  tliy  mother  !"  and  to  his  mother, 
"  Behold  thy  son  !"  even  in  the  niidst  of  his  dying  agonies. 

4.  What  trials  from  Satan  !  Believers  complain  of  Satan,  but 
they  never  felt  his  power  as  Christ  did.  What  an  awful  conflict 
was  that  during  forty  days  in  the  wilderness  !  How  fearfully  did 
Satan  urge  on  Pharisees,  and  Herod,  and  Judas,  to  torment  him  ! 
What  an  awful  hour  was  that,  when  he  said,  "  This  is  your  hour, 
and  the  power  of  darkness  !"  What  an  awful  cry  was  that,  "  Save 
me  from  the  lion's  mouth  !"  (Psalm  xxii.,22)  when  he  ftlt  his  soul 
in  the  very  jaws  of  Satan  ! 

5.  What  trials  from  God  !  Believers -often  groan  under  the 
hidings  of  God's  countenance,  but  ah  !  they  seldom  taste  even  a 
drop  of  what  Christ  drank.  What  dreadful  agony  was  that  in 
Gethsemane,  when  the  blood  gushed  through  the  pores  !  How 
dreadful  was  that  frown  of  God  on  the  cross,  when  he  cried, 
"  My  God,  my  God  !"  In  all  these  things,  and  a  thousand  more, 
he  was  made  like  unto  his  brethren.  He  came  into  our  place. 
Through  eternity  we  shall  study  these  sufferings. 

l6'^.  Learn  the  amazing  love  of  Christ,  that  he  should  leave  glory 
for  such  a  condition. 

2d,  Learn  to  bear  sufferings  cheerfully.  You  have  not  yet  suf- 
fered as  he  did. 

IIL — The  end — That  he  might  he  a  merciful  and  faithful  High 
Priest. — The  work  of  Christ  as  an  high  priest  is  here  laid  down 
as  two-fold.  \.  To  make  an  atonement  for  our  sins;  2.  To  suc- 
cor his  people  under  temptations. 

L  lo  make  atonement. — This  is  the  great  work  of  Christ  as 
our  high  priest.  For  this  it  was  needful  that  he  should  become 
man,  and  die.  Had  he  remained  God  alone  in  the  bosom  of  his 
Father,  he  might  have  pitied  us,  but  he  could  not  have  died  for 
us,  nor  taken  our  sins  away.  We  must  have  perished.  Every 
priest  in  the  Old  Testament  was  a  type  of  Jesus  in  this  :  every 
lamb  that  was  slain  typified  Jesus  offering  up  his  own -body  a 
sacrifice  for  our  sins. 

Let  your  eye  rest  there  if  you  would  be  happy.  Those  few 
dark  hours  on  Calvary,  when  the  great  high  priest  was  offering 
up  the  amazing  sacrifice,  give  light  for  eternity  to  the  believing 
soul.  This  only  will  cheer  you  in  dying.  Not  your  graces,  nor 
your  love  to  Christ ;   not  anything  in  you,  but  only  this — Christ 


SERMON   X.  59 

hath  died.     He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.     Christ  hath 
appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself. 

2.  To  succor  the  tempted. — AH  believers  are  a  tempted  people. 
Every  day  they  have  their  trials  ;  every  time  is  to  them  a  time 
of  need.  The  unconverted  are  little  tempted  ;  they  are  not  ia» 
trouble  as  others,  neither  are  they  plagued  like  other  men.  They 
do  not  feel  temptations  rising  in  their  heart ;  nor  do  they  know 
the  power  of  Satan.  Before  conversion,  a  man  believes  as  little 
in  the  devil  as  he  believes  in  Christ.  But  when  a  man  comes  to 
Christ,  then  he  becomes  a  tempted  soul,  "  poor  and  needy,  seeking 
water,  and  there  is  none." 

He  is  tempted  hy  God. — God  did  tempt  Abraham  ;  not  to  sin, 
for  God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tcmpteth  he  any 
man.  Still,  God  always  tries  his  children.  He  never  gives  faith, 
but  he  brings  his  child  into  a  situation  where  it  will  be  tried. 
Sometimes  he  exalts  him,  to  try  if  he  will  turn  proud  and  forget 
God  ;  sometimes  he  brings  him  low,  to  sec  if  he  will  murmur 
against  God.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endurcth  temptations. 
Sometimes  he  brings  them  into  a  strait,  where  the  trial  is,  whether 
they  will  believe  in  him  alone,  or  trust  to  flesh  and  blood. 

The  world  tempts  a  child  of  God. — They  watch  for  their  halting. 
They  love  nothing  better  than  to  see  a  child  of  God  fall  into  sin ; 
it  soothes  their  conscience  to  think  that  all  are  equally  bad. 
They  frown,  they  smile. 

Their  own  heart  is  a  fountain  of  temptation. — Sometimes  it 
says.  What  harm  is  there  in  that?  it  is  a  little  sin  ;  or,  I  will  just 
sin  this  once,  and  never  again ;  or,  I  will  repent  after  and  be 
saved. 

Satan  hurls  his  fiery  darts. — He  terrifies  them  away  from 
Christ,  disturbs  them  at  prayer,  fills  their  mind  with  blasphemies, 
hounds  on  the  world  against  them. 

Ah  !  believers,  you  are  a  tempted  people.  You  arc  always 
poor  and  needy.  And  God  intends  it  should  be  so,  to  give  you 
constant  errands  to  go  to  Jesus.  Some  may  say,  it  is  not  good  to 
be  a  believer  ;  but  ah  !  see  to  whom  we  can  go. 

We  have  a  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest.  He  suflTered  be- 
ing tempted,  just  that  he  might  succor  them  that  are  tempted. 
The  high  priest  of  old  not  only  offered  sacrifice  at  the  altar,  his 
work  was  not  done  when  the  lamb  was  consumed.  He  was  to  be 
a  father  to  Israel.  He  carried  all  their  names,  graven  over  his 
heart ;  he  went  in  and  prayed  for  them  within  the  veil.  He  came 
out  and  blessed  the  people,  saying,  "  The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep 
thee.     The  Lord  make  his  lace  shine,"  &c. ;  Numbers  vi.,  24-26. 

So  it  is  with  the  Lord  Jesus.  His  work  was  not  all  done  on 
Calvary.  He  that  died  for  our  sins  lives  to  pray  for  us,  to  help 
in  every  time  of  need.  He  is  still  man  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 
He  is  still  God,  and  therefore,  by  reason  of  his  divinity,  is  present 
here  this  day  as  much  as  any  of  us.     He  knows  your  every  sor- 


60  SERMON    XI. 

row,  trial,  difficulty  ;  every  half  breathed  sigh  he  hears,  and  brings 
in  notice  thereof  to  liis  human  heart  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  His 
human  heart  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever ;  it  pleads 
for  you,  thinks  on  you,  plans  deliverance  for  you. 

Dear  tempted  brethren  !  Go  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to 
obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  your  time  of  need. 

Arc  you  bereaved  of  one  you  loved  ?  Go  and  tell  Jesus  ; 
spread  out  your  sorrows  at  his  feet.  He  knows  them  all  ;  feels 
for  you  in  them  all.  He  is  a  merciful  high  priest.  He  is  faithful, 
too,  never  awanting  in  the  hour  of  need.  He  is  able  to  succor 
you  by  his  word,  by  his  spirit,  by  his  providence.  He  gave  you 
all  the"  comfort  you  had  by  your  friends.  He  can  give  it  you 
without  them.  He  has  taken  away  the  stream  that  you  may  go 
to  the  fountain. 

Are  you  suffering  in  body  ?  Go  to  this  high  priest.  He  is  in- 
timately acquainted  with  all  your  diseases ;  he  has  felt  that  very 
pain.  Remember  how,  when  they  brought  to  him  one  that  was 
deaf  and  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech,  he  looked  up  to  heaven 
and  sighed,  and  said,  Ephphatha  !  He  sighed  over  his  misery. 
So  he  sighs  over  you.  He  is  able  to  give  you  deliverance,  or 
patience  to  bear  it,  or  improvement  by  it. 

Are  you  sore  tempted  in  soul  ;  put  into  trying  circumstances,  so 
that  you  know  not  what  to  do  ?  Look  up  ;  he  is  able  to  succor 
you.  If  he  had  been  on  the  earth  would  you  not  have  gone  to 
him  ?  would  you  not  have  kneeled  and  said,  Lord  help  me  1  Does 
it  make  any  difference  that  he  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ?  He 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever. 


SERMON  XL 

ORDINATION  SERMON. 

At  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev.  P.  L.  Miller,  Wallacetown,  Dundee,  1S40. 

"I  charge  thee  therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing,  and  his  kingdom  ;  preach  the  word  ;  be  in- 
stant in  season,  out  of  season ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long-suffering 
and  doctrine."— 2  Tim.  iv.,  1,  2. 

L  Where  faithful  ministers  stand — "  Before  God  and  the  Lord 
Jesns  Christ." — There  is  not  a  more  awfully  affecting  situation  in 
the  whole  world  than  that  in  which  a  faithful  minister  stands. 

1.  Before  God. — This  is  true  in  two  ways  : 

\st.  As  a  sinner  saved  by  grace.  He  was  once  far  off,  but  is 
now  brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.     Having  "  boldness  to 


SERMON    XI.  61 

enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living 
way  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us  through  the  veil,  that  is  to 
say  his  flesh,"  he  draws  near.  He  stands  within  the  veil,  in  the 
holiest  of  all,  in  the  love  of  God.  He  is  justified  before  God.  A 
faithful  minister  is  an  example  to  his  flock  of  a  sinner  saved.  God 
says  to  him  as  he  did  to  Abraham,  "  Walk  before  me  and  be  thou 
perfect."  He  can  say  with  Paul,  "  I  was  a  blasphemer,  and  a 
persecutor,  and  injurious,  but  I  obtained  mercy."  A  faithful 
minister  is  like  Aaron's  rod  that  was  laid  up  beside  the  ark  of  God, 
and  budded  there. 

2d,  As  a  servant. — In  the  East,  servants  always  stand  in  the 
presence  of  their  master,  watching  his  hand.  The  Queen  of. 
Sheba  said  to  Solomon,  "  Happy  are  these  thy  servants  which 
stand  continually  before  thee  and  hear  thy  wisdom."  So  it  is 
said  of  the  angels  that  "  they  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Even  when  most  engaged  in  the 
service  of  the  saints,  they  feel  under  his  all-seeing,  holy,  living 
eye.  So  ought  faithful  ministers  to  feel.  They  should  feel  con- 
stantly in  his  presence,  under  his  soul-piercing,  gentle-guiding, 
holy,  living  eye.  "  I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye."  "  The 
eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous."  Ah  !  how  often  we  feel 
we  are  before  man.  Then  all  power  withers,  and  we  become 
weak  as  other  men  ;  but  oh  !  how  sweet 'to  feel  in  the  presence 
of  God,  as  if  there  were  no  eye  on  us  but  God's.  In  prayer,  how 
sweet  to  feel  before  Him  :  to  kneel  at  his  footstool,  and  to  put  our 
hand  upon  the  mercy-seat — no  curtain,  no  veil,  no  cloud  between 
the  soul  and  God.  In  preaching,  how  sweet  to  say,  like  Elijah, 
when  he  stood  before  Ahab,  "  I  stand  before  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel."  To  stand  at  his  feet,  in  his  family,  in  his  pavilion,  O 
believers,  it  is  then  we  get  above  the  billows.  The  applause  of 
men,  the  rage  and  contempt  of  men,  then  pass  by  us  like  the  idle 
wind  which  we  regard  not.  Thus  is  a  minister  like  a  rock  in  the 
ocean  ;  the  mountain-billows  dash  upon  its  brow,  and  yet  it  stands 
unshaken. 

2.  Before  Jesus  Christ. — This  is  also  true  in  two  ways  : 
\st,  The  faithful  minister  has  a  present  sight  of  Christ  as  his 
Righteousness.  He  is  like  John  the  Baptist,  "  Seeing  Jesus  com- 
ing unto  him  he  saith,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  !"  Or  like  Isaiah, 
"  He  saw  his  glory  and  spake  of  him."  His  own  soul  is  ever 
watching  at  Gethsemane  and  Golgotha.  O  brethren,  it  is  thus 
only  we  can  ever  speak  with  feeling,  or  with  power,  or  with 
truth,  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  We  must  have  the 
taste  of  the  manna  in  our  mouth,  "  Milk  and  honey  under  our 
tongue,"  else  we  cannot  tell  of  its  sweetness.  We  must  be  drink- 
ing the  living  water  from  the  smitten  rock,  or  we  cannot  speak 
of  its  refreshing  power.  We  must  be  hiding  our  guilty  souls  in 
the  wounds  of  Jesus,  or  we  cannot  with  joy  speak  of  the  peace 
and  rest  to  be  found  there.     This  is  the  reason  why  unfaithful 


62  SERMON    XI. 

ministers  arc  cold  and  barren  in  their  labor.  They  speak,  like 
Balaam,  of  a  Saviour  whose  grace  they  do  not  feel.  They  speak 
like  Caiaphas,  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  without  having  felt  its 
power  to  speak  peace  to  the  troubled  heart.  This  is  the  reason 
why  many  good  men  have  a  barren  ministry.  They  speak  from 
clear  head-knowledge,  or  from  past  experience,  but  not  from  a 
present  grasp  of  the  truth,  not  from  a  present  sight  of  the  Lamb 
of  God.  Hence  their  words  fall  like  a  shower  of  snow,  fair  and 
beautiful,  but  cold  and  freezing.  The  Lord  give  us  to  stand  in 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

2d.  The  faithful  minister  should  feel  the  presence  of  a  living 
Saviour.  A  minister  should  be  like  the  bride  in  the  song,  "  Lean- 
ing upon  her  beloved."  This  was  Jeremiah's  strength  (i.,  8), 
"  Be  not  afraid  of  their  faces-,  for  I  am  with  thee  to  deliver  thee, 
saith  the  Lord."  So  it  was  with  Paul  (Acts  xviii.,  10),  "  Be  not 
afraid,  but  speak  and  hold  not  thy  peace  :  for  I  am  with  thee,  and 
no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee  ;  for  I  have  much  people  in 
this  city."  So  Jesus  told  all  the  disciples,  "  Yet  a  liitle  while 
and  the  world  seeth  me  not,  but  ye  see  me.  Because  I  live 
ye  shall  live  also."  And  again  he  says  expressly,  "  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  Yes,  brethren,  Christ 
is  as  truly  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks, 
as  truly  in  this  place  to-day,  as  if  you  saw  him  with  your  bodily 
eyes.  His  humanity  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  appearing  in  the 
presence  of  God  for  us.  His  Godhead  fills  all  in  all.  Thus  he  is 
with  us,  standing  at  our  right  hand,  so  that  he  cannot  be  moved. 
It  is  sweet  to  know  and  feel  this.  Thus  only  can  we  be  sustained 
amid  all  the  trials  of  the  ministry.  Are  we  weary  ?  we  can 
lean,  like  John,  upon  his  bosom.  Are  we  burdened  with  a  sense 
of  sin  ?  we  can  hide  in  the  clefts  of  that  rock  of  ages.  Arc  we 
empty  1  we  can  look  up  to  him  for  immediate  supply.  Are  we 
hated  of  all  men?  we  can  hide  under  his  wings.  Stand  before  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  you  may  smile  at  Satan's  rage,  and 
face  a  frowning  world.  Learn  here  also  the  guilt  of  refusing  a 
gospel  ministry.  "  He  that  refuseth  you  refuscth  me  ;  and  he  that 
refuseth  me  refuseth  Him  that  sent  me." 

3.  Wiihin  sight  of  judgment, — "  Who  shall  judge  the  quick  and 
dead." — Ministers  and  their  flocks  shall  meet  together  before  the 
throne  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  That  will  be  a  solemn  day.  They 
have  many  solemn  meetings  on  earth.  An  Ordination  day  is  a 
solemn  day.  Their  meetings  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  arc  solemn 
meetings  fand  Sacrament  days  are  very  solemn  days.  But  their 
meeting  at  the  judgment  seat  will  be  by  far  the  most  solemn  of 
all.     Then, 

1st,  The  minister  will  give  in  his  ac(;ount  either  with  joy  or  with 
grief.  He  will  no  more  meet  to  plead  with  the  people,  or  to  pray 
with  them,  but  to  bear  witness  how  they  received  the  word.  Of 
some  he  will  give  account  with  a  joyful  countenance,  that  they 


SERMON   XI.  63 

received  the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind,  that  they  were  con- 
verted and  became  like  little  children ;  these  will  be  his  joy  and 
crown,  or  most  with  grief,  that  he  carried  the  message  to  them, 
but  they  would  not  come,  they  made  light  of  it ;  or  perhaps  they 
listened  for  awhile,  but  drew  back  into  perdition.  Ho  will  be  a 
swift  witness  against  them  in  that  day.     "  Depart,  ye  cursed." 

2c?,  Then  the  people  will  give  in  tlieir  account  of  the  minister. 
If  he  was  faithful ;  if  he  made  it  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will 
of  God  ;  if  he  preached  the  whole  truth  with  seriousness,  urgency, 
love  ;  if  he  was  holy  in  his  life  ;  if  he  preached  publicly,  and  from 
house  to  house :  then  that  minister  shall  shine  like  the  stars.  If 
he  was  unfaithful;  if  he  fed  himself  but  not  the  flock;  if  he  did 
not  seek  the  conversion  of  souls ;  did  not  travail  in  birth  ;  if  he 
sought  hi 5  own  eas?,  his  own  wealth,  his  own  praise,  and  not  their 
souls :  then  shall  the  loud  curses  of  ruined  souls  fall  on  that  wretched 
man,  and  God  shall  say.  Take  the  unfaithful  servant,  and  bind  him 
hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him  into  outer  darkness.  O  believers,  it 
is  the  duty  of  ministers  to  preach  with  this  solemn  day  in  their 
eye.  We  should  stand,  like  Abraham,  looking  down  on  the  smoke 
of  Sodom ;  like  John,  listening  to  the  new  song  and  golden  harps 
of  the  New  Jerusalem.  Would  not  this  take  away  the  fear  of 
man?  Would  not  this  make  us  urgent  in  our  preaching?  You 
must  either  get  these  souls  into  Christ,  or  you  will  yet  see  them 
lying  down  in  everlasting  burnings.  O  brethren,  did  I  not  say 
truly  that  the  place  where  a  minister  stands  is  the  most  solemn 
spot  in  all  this  world  ? 

II.  The  grand  business  of  the  faithful  minister — Described  in 
two  ways:  1.  Generally — Preach  the  Word.  2.  More  in  de- 
tail— Reprove,  rebuke,  exhort. 

1.  Preach  the  Word. — The  grand  work  of  the  minister,  in  which 
he  is  to  lay  out  his  strength  of  body  and  mind,  is  preaching.  Weak 
and  foolish  as  it  may  appear,  this  is  the  grand  instrument  which 
God  has  put  into  our  hands,  by  which  sinners  arc  to  be  saved,  and 
saints  fitted  for  glory.  It  pleased  God,  by  the  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing, to  save  them  that  believe.  It  was  to  this  our  blessed  Lord 
devoted  the  years  of  his  own  ministry.  Oh  !  what  an  honor  has 
he  put  upon  this  work,  by  preaching  in  the  synagogues,  in  the 
temple,  and  by  the  blue  waves  of  Galilee,  under  the  canopy  of 
heaven.  Has  he  not  consecrated  this  world  as  preaching  ground  ? 
This  was  the  grand  work  of  Paul  and  all  the  apostles ;  for  this 
was  our  Lord's  command,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  Gospel."  O  brethren,  this  is  our  great  work.  It  is  well  to 
visit  the  sick,  and  well  to  educate  children,  and  clothe  the  naked. 
It  is  well  to  attend  Presbyteries.  It  is  well  to  write  books  or  read 
them  ;  but  here  is  the  main  thing — Preach  the  Word.  The  pulpit 
is,  as  George  Herbert  says,  "  our  joy  and  throne."  This  is  our 
watch-tower.     Here   we    must   warn   the   people.     The   silver 


64  SERMON    XI. 

trumpet  is  put  into  our  hand.     Woe  be  unto  us  if  we  preach  not 

the  Gospel. 

The  Matter — the  Ward. — It  is  in  vain  we  preach,  if  we  preach 
not  the  word — the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

\st,  Not  other  matters.  "  Ye  are  my  witnesses"  "  The  same 
came  to  hear  witness  of  that  h'ght."  We  are  to  speak  of  nothing 
but  what  we  have  seen  and  heard  from  God.  It  is  not  the  work 
of  the  minister  to  open  up  schemes  of  human  wisdom  or  learn- 
ing, nor  to  bring  his  own  fancies,  but  to  tell  the  acts  and  glories  of 
the  Gospel.     We  must  speak  of  what  is  within  the  Word  of  God. 

2d,  Preach  the  Word ;  the  most  essential  parts  especially.  If 
you  were  with  a  dying  man,  and  knew  he  had  but  half  an  hour 
to  live,  what  would  you  tell  him  ?  Would  you  open  up  some  of 
the  curiosities  of  the  Word,  or  enforce  some  of  the  moral  com- 
mands of  the  Word  ?  Would  you  not  tell  him  his  undone  condi- 
tion by  nature  and  by  wicked  works  ?  Would  you  not  tell  him 
of  the  love  and  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus?  Would  you  not  tell 
him  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  These  are  the  essential 
things  which  a  man  must  receive  or  perish.  These  are  the  great 
subject-matters  of  preaching.  Should  we  not  preach  as  Jesus  did 
when  he  went  to  Emmaus,  when  he  began  at  Moses  and  all  the 
prophets,  and  expounded  to  them  the  things  concerning  himself? 
Let  there  be  much  of  Christ  in  your  ministry,  says  the  excellent 
Eliot.  Rowland  Hill  used  to  say,  See  there  be  no  sermon  with- 
out three  Rs  in  it :  Ruin  by  the  fall.  Righteousness  by  Christ,  and 
Regeneration  by  the  Spirit.  Preach  Christ  for  awakening,  Christ 
for  comforting,  Christ  for  sanctifying.  "  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

^d,  Preach  as  the  Word.  I  would  humbly  suggest  for  the  con- 
sideration of  all  ministers,  whether  we  should  not  preach  more  in 
the  manner  of  God's  Word.  Is  not  the  Word  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit  ?  Should  not  our  great  work  be  to  take  it  from  its  scab- 
bard, to  cleanse  it  from  all  rust,  and  then  apply  its  sharp  edge  to 
the  consciences  of  man  ?  It  is  certain  the  fathers  used  to  preach 
in  this  manner.  Brown,  of  Haddington,  used  to  preach  as  if  he 
had  read  no  other  book  than  the  Bible.  It  is  the  truth  of  God  in 
its  naked  simplicity  that  the  Spirit  will  most  honor  and  bless. 
"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  Word  is  truth." 

2.  Reprove,  rebuke,  exhort. — The  first  work  of  the  Spirit  on  the 
natural  heart  is  to  reprove  the  world  of  sin.  Although  he  is  the 
Spirit  of  love,  although  a  dove  is  his  emblem,  although  he  be 
compared  to  the  soft  wind  and  gentle  dew,  still  his  first  work  is 
to  convince  of  sin.  If  ministers  are  filled  with  the  same  Spirit, 
they  will  begin  in  the  same  way.  It  is  God's  usual  method  to 
awaken  them,  and  bring  them  to  despair  of  salvation  by  their  own 
righteousness,  before  he  reveals  Christ  to  them.  So  it  was  with 
the  jailor.  So  it  was  with  Paul  ;  he  was  blind  three  days.  A 
faithful  minister  must  lay  himself  out  for  this.     Plough  up  the  fal- 


SERMON    XI.  65 

low-ground,  and  sow  not  among  thorns.  Men  must  be  brought 
down  by  law  work  to  see  their  guilt  and  misery,  or  all  our  preach- 
ing is  beating  the  air.  O  brethren,  is  this  our  ministry  ?  Let  us 
do  this  plainly.  The  most,  I  fear,  in  all  our  congregations,  are 
sailing  easily  down  the  stream  into  an  undone  eternity,  unconvert- 
ed and  una  wakened.  Brethren,  they  will  not  thank  us  in  eterniiy 
for  speaking  smooth  things — for  sewing  pillows  to  their  arm-holes, 
and  crying.  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace.  No  ;  they 
may  praise  us  now,  but  they  will  curse  our  flattery  in  eternity. 
O  for  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ  in  every  minister,  that  we  might 
long  after  them  all  !  Exhort. — The  original  word  means  to  com- 
fort, to  speak  as  the  Comforter  does.  This  is  the  second  part  of 
the  Spirit's  work,  to  lead  to  Christ,  to  speak  good  news  to  the 
soul.  This  is  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  Christian  ministry. 
Thus  did  John,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God."  Thus  did  Isaiah, 
"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye."  Thus  did  our  Lord  command,  "  Go, 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  It  is  true  this  makes  the 
feet  of  the  gospel  messenger  beautiful  on  the  mountains.  He  has 
to  tell  of  a  full,  free,  Divine  Saviour, 

And  here  I  would  observe,  what  appears  to  me  a  fault  in  the, 
preaching  of  our  beloved  Scotland.  Most  ministers  are  accustomed 
to  set  Christ  before  the  people.  They  lay  down  the  gospel  clearly 
and  beautifully,  but  they  do  not  urge  men  to  enter  in.  Now,  God 
says,  exhort,  beseech  men,  persuade  men  ;  not  only  point  to  the 
open  door,  but  compel  them  to  come  in.  O  to  be  more  merciful 
to  souls,  that  we  would  lay  hands  on  men,  and  draw  them  into  the 
Lord  Jesus  ! 

III.  The  manner. 

1.  With  long-suffering. — There  is  no  grace  more  needed  in  the 
Christian  ministry  than  this.  This  is  the  heart  of  God  the  Father 
towards  sinners  ;  "  he  is  long-suffering  to  usward,  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish."  This  is  the  heart  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  How 
tenderly  does  he  cry,  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how  often  would 
I,"  &c.  This  is  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  striving  with  men. 
He  will  not  always  strive,  but,  oh !  how  long  he  does  strive  with 
men  !  Dear  believers,  had  he  not  striven  long  with  us,  we  would 
this  day  have  been  like  Lot's  wife,  monuments  of  grace  resisted. 
Now,  such  ought  ministers  to  be.  Above  all  men  we  need  "  love 
that  suffers  long  and  is  kind."  Sometimes,  when  sinners  are  ob- 
stinate and  hard-hearted,  we  are  tempted  to  give  up  in  despair, 
or  to  lose  temper  and  scold  them — hke  the  disciples  calling  down 
fire  from  heaven.  But,  brethren,  we  must  be  of  another  spirit. 
The  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God.  Only 
be  filled  with  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  it  will  make  us  patient 
toward  all.     It  will  make  us  cry,  "  How  often  would  I,"  &c. 

2.  With  doctrine. — Some  good  men  cry,  Flee,  flee,  without 
showing  the  sinner  what  he  is  to  flee  from  ;   and  again,  they  cry, 

5 


66  SERMON    XI. 

Come,  come,  without  showing  plainly  the  way  of  pardon  and 
pence.  These  men  act  as  one  would  do  who  should  run  through 
the  streets  crying,  Fire,  fire,  without  telling  where.  In  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Apostles,  you  will  observe  the  clear  and  simple  state- 
ment of  the  ti  uth  preceding  the  warm  and  pathetic  exhortation. 
This  has  always  been  followed  by  the  most  judicious  and  success- 
ful divines. 

It  behooves  ministers  to  unite  the  cherub  and  the  seraph  in  their 
ministry — the  angel  of  knowledge  and  the  angel  of  burning  zeal. 
If  we  would  win  souls,  we  must  point  clearly  the  way  to  heaven, 
while  we  cry,  Flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  I  believe  we  cannot 
lay  down  the  guilt  of  man,  his  total  depravity,  and  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Christ,  too  clearly  ;  that  we  cannot  urge  men  to  embrace 
and  flee  too  warmly.  O  for  a  pastor  who  unites  the  deep  know- 
ledge of  Edwards,  the  vast  statements  of  Owen,  and  the  vehement 
appeals  of  Richard  Baxter  ! 

3,  With  urgency. — If  a  neighbor's  house  were  on  fire,  would  we 
not  cry  aloud  and  use  every  exertion  ?  If  a  friend  were  drown- 
ing, would  we  be  ashamed  to  strain  every  nerve  to  save'  him  ? 
But  alas  !  the  souls  of  our  neighbors  are  even  now  on  their  way  to 
everlasting  burnings — they  are  ready  to  be  drowned  in  the  depths 
of  perdition.  Oh  !  shall  we  be  less  earnest  to  save  their  never- 
dying  souls,  than  we  would  be  to  save  their  bodies  ?  How  anxious 
was  the  Lord  Jesus  in  this — when  he  came  near  and  beheld  the 
city,  he  wept  over  it !  How  earnest  was  Paul,  "  Remember  that 
by  the  space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one  night 
and  day  with  tears."  Such  was  George  Whitfield  ;  that  great 
man  scarcely  ever  preached  without  being  melted  into  tears. 
Brethren,  there  is  need  of  the  same  urgency  now.  Hell  is  as 
deep  and  as  burning  as  ever.  Unconverted  souls  arc  as  surely 
rushing  to  it.  Christ  is  as  free — pardon  as  sweet  as  ever  !  Ah  ! 
how  we  shall  be  amazed  at  our  coldness  when  we  do  get  to  heaven  ! 

4.  At  all  times. — Our  Lord  went  about  continually  doing  good  ; 
ne  made  it  his  meat  and  drink.  "  Daily  in  the  temple."  So  should 
we.  Satan  is  busy  at  all  times  ;  he  does  not  stand  upon  ceremony, 
he  does  not  keep  himself  to  Sabbath-days,  or  canonical  hours. 
Death  is  busy.  Men  are  dying  while  we  are  sleeping.  About 
fifty  die  every  minute  ;  nearly  one  every  second  entering  into  an 
unchangeable  world  I  The  Spirit  of  God  is  busy.  Blessed  be 
God,  he  hath  cast  our  lot  in  times  when  there  is  the  moving  of  the 
great  Spirit  among  the  dry  bones.  Shall  ministers  then  be  idle, 
or  stand  upon  ceremony  ?  O  that  God  would  baptize  us  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire,  that  we  might  be  all  changed  as  into 
a  flame  of  fire,  preaching  and  building  up  Christ's  Church  till  our 
latest,  our  dying  hour. 

CHARGE    TO    THE    MINISTER. 

My  Dear  Brother — It  is  not  many  years  ago  since  you  and  I 


SERMON    XI.  67 

played  together  as  children,  and  now,  by  the  wonderful  providence 
of  God,  I  have  been  appointed  to  preside  at  your  ordination  to  the 
office  of  the  holy  ministry.  Truly  His  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  His 
path  in  the  deep  waters.  Do  not  think,  then,  that  I  mean  to  as- 
sume an  authority  which  I  have  not.  I  cannot  speak  to  you  as  a 
father,  but,  as  a  brother  beloved  in  the  Lord,  let  me  address  a  few 
words  of  counsel  to  you. 

1.  Thank  God  for  putting  you  into  the  ministry.  "  I  thank 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  for  that  he  counted  me  faithful,  putting  me 
into  the  ministry."  "  To  me  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints," 
&c.  O  brother,  thank  God  for  saving  your  sou! — for  sending  His 
spirit  into  your  heart,  and  drawing  you  to  Christ.  But  this  day  you 
have  a  new  cause  of  thankfuhness  in  being  put  into  the  ministry.  It  is 
the  greatest  honor  in  this  world.  "  Had  I  a  thousand  lives,  I  would 
willingly  spend  them  in  it :  and  had  I  a  thousand  sons,  I  would  gladly 
devote  them  to  it."  True,  it  is  an  awfully  responsible  office  :  the 
eternity  of  thousands  depends  on  your  faithfulness  ;  but  ah  !  the 
grace  is  so  full,  and  the  reward  so  glorious.  If,  said  the  dying 
Payson,  "  If  ministers  only  saw  the  preciousness  of  Christ,  they 
would  not  be  able  to  refrain  from  clapping  their  hands  with  joy, 
and  exclaiming,  I  am  a  minister  of  Christ  !  I  am  a  minister  of 
Christ ! "  Do  not  forget,  then,  dear  brother,  amid  the  broken  ac- 
cents of  confession  from  a  broken  heart,  to  pour  out  a  sontr  of 
thankfulness.  Thanks  be  to  God,  for  my  own  part,  during  the  few 
years  I  have  been  a  minister,  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  desire  no  other 
honor  upon  earth  than  to  be  allowed  to  preach  the  everlasting 
gospel.     Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift. 

2.  Seek  the  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit. — The  more  anointing 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  you  have,  the  more  will  you  be  a  happy,  holy, 
and  successful  minister.  You  remember  the  two  olive  trees  that 
stood  close  by  the  golden  candlestick,  and  emptied  the  golden  oil 
out  of  themselves.  These  represent  successful  ministers,  anointed 
ones  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth.  The  Lord  make 
you  like  one  of  them.  Remember  John  the  Baptist — "  He  shall 
be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  many  of  the  children  of  Israel 
shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God."  The  Lord  fill  vou  in  like 
manner,  and  then  you  will  be  a  converting  minister.  Reniember 
the  Apostles  ;  before  the  day  of  Pentecost  they  were  dry,  sapless 
trees — they  had  little  fruit  ;  but  \vhen  the  Spirit  came  on  them 
like  a  mighty  rushing  wind,  then  three  thousand  were  pricked  to 
the  heart. 

Oh  !  brother,  plead  with  God  to  fill  you  with  the  Spirit,  that  you 
may  stand  in  his  counsel,  and  cause  the  people  to  hear  His  words, 
and  turn  many  from  the  evil  of  their  ways.  You  know  that  a 
heated  iron,  though  blunt,  can  pierce  its  way  even  where  a  much 
sharper  instrument,  if  cold,  could  not  enter.  Pray  that  you  may 
be  filled  with  the  fire  of  the  Spirit,  that  you  may  pierce  into  the 
hard  hearts  of  unconverted  sinners. 


68  SERMON   XI. 

3.  Do  not  rest  without  success  in  your  ministry. — Success  is  the 
rule  under  a  living  ministry ;  want  of  success  is  the  exception. 
"  The  want  of  ministerial  success,"  says  Robinson,  "  is  a  tremendous 
circumstance,  never  to  be  contemplated  without  horror."  Your 
people  will  be  of  two  kinds : — 

(1st,)  The  Lord's  people. — Those  who  are  ah'eady  in  Christ, 
seek  for  success  among  them.  He  gave  some  pastors  and  teach- 
ers for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints.  Never  forget  Christ's  words, 
"  Feed  my  sheep,  feed  my  lambs."  Be  like  Barnabas,  a  son  of 
consolation.  Exhort  them  to  cleave  to  the  Lord.  Do  not  say, 
"  They  are  safe  and  I  will  let  them  alone."  This  is  a  great  mis- 
take. See  how  Paul  laid  out  his  strength  in  confirming  the  dis- 
ciples. Be  a  helper  of  their  joy.  Do  not  rest  till  you  get  them  to 
live  under  the  pure,  holy  rules  of  the  Gospel. 

{2d,)  The  great  mass  you  will  find  to  be  unconverted.  Go, 
brother,  leaving  the  ninety-nine,  go  after  the  one  sheep  that  was 
lost.  Leave  your  home,  your  comforts,  your  bed,  your  ease,  your 
all,  to  feed  lost  souls.  The  Lord  of  Glory  left  heaven  for  this ;  it 
is  enough  for  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  Master.  It  is  said  of  Alleine, 
that  "  he  was  infinitely  and  insatiably  greedy  of  the  conversion  of 
souls."  Rutherfurd  wrote  to  his  dear  people,  "My  witness  is 
above,  that  your  heaven  would  be  two  heavens  to  me,  and  the  sal- 
vation of  you  all  as  two  salvations  to  me."  The  Lord  give  you 
this  heavenly  compassion  for  this  people.  Do  not  be  satisfied  with- 
out conversion.  You  will  often  find  that  there  is  a  shaking  among 
the  dry  bones,  a  coming  together  bone  to  his  bone ;  skin  and  flesh 
come  upon  them,  but  no  breath  in  them.  Oh  !  brother,  cry  for  the 
breath  of  heaven.  Remember  a  moral  sinner  will  lie  down  in  the 
same  hell  with  the  vilest. 

4.  Lead  a  holy  life. — I  believe,  brother,  that  you  are  born  from 
above,  and,  therefore,  I  have  confidence  in  God  touching  you,  that 
you  will  be  kept  from  the  evil.  But,  oh  !  study  universal  holiness 
of  life.  Your  whole  usefulness  depends  on  this.  Your  sermon 
on  Sabbath  lasts  but  an  hour  or  two ;  your  life  preaches  all  the 
week.  Remember,  ministers  are  standard-bearers.  Satan  aims 
his  fiery  darts  at  them.  If  he  can  only  make  you  a  covetous  min- 
ister, or  a  lover  of  pleasure,  or  a  lover  of  praise,  or  a  lover  of  good 
eating,  then  he  has  ruined  your  ministry  for  ever.  Ah !  let  him 
preach  on  fifty  years,  he  will  never  do  me  any  harm.  Dear  brother, 
cast  yourself  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  implore  his  Spirit  to  make  you 
a  holy  man.     Take  heed  to  thyself  and  to  thy  doctrine. 

5.  Last  of  all,  he  a  man  of  prayer. — Give  yourself  to  prayer 
and  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  If  you  do  not  pray,  God  will 
probably  lay  you  aside  from  your  ministry,  as  he  did  me,  to  teach 
you  to  pray.  Remember  Luther's  maxim,  *'  Bene  orasse  est  bene 
studuisse."  Get  your  texts  from  God,  your  thoughts,  your  words, 
from  God.  Carry  the  names  of  the  little  flock  upon  your  breast 
like  the  High  Priest,  wrestle  for  the  unconverted.     Luther  spent 


SERMON    XI.  69' 

his  three  best  hours  in  prayer.  John  Welch  prayed  seven  or  eight 
hours  a  day.  He  used  to  keep  a  plaid  on  his  bed  that  he  might 
wrap  himself  in  it  when  he  rose  during  night.  Sometimes  his  wife 
found  him  on  the  ground  lying  weeping.  When  she  complained,  he 
would  say,  "  O,  woman  !  I  have  the  souls  of  three  thousand  to 
answer  for,  and  I  know  not  how  it  is  with  many  of  them."  Oh ! 
that  God  would  pour  down  this  spirit  of  prayer  on  you  and  me, 
and  all  the  ministers  of  our  beloved  Church,  and  then  we  shall  see 
better  days  in  Scotland.     I  commend  you  to  God,  &c. 

CHARGE    TO    THE    PEOPLE. 

Dear  Brethren — I  trust  that  this  is  to  be  the  beginning  of 
many  "happy  days  to  you  in  this  place.  Gifts  in  answer  to  prayer  are 
always  the  sweetest.  I  believe  your  dear  pastor  has  been  given 
you  in  answer  to  prayer,  for  I  do  not  think  your  wonderful  unani- 
mity can  be  accounted  for  in  any  other  way. 

1.  Love  your  pastor. — So  far  as  I  know  him  he  is  worthy  of 
your  love.  I  believe  he  is  one  to  whom  the  Lord  has  been  very 
merciful,  that  God  has  already  owned  his  labors,  and  I  trust,  will 
a  thousand  times  more.  Esteem  him  very  highly  in  love  for  his 
work's  sake.  You  little  know  the  anxieties,  temptations,  pains, 
and  wrestlings,  he  will  be  called  to  bear  for  you.  Few  people 
know  the  deep  wells  of  anxiety  in  the  bosom  of  a  faithful  pastor. 
Love  and  reverence  him  much.  Do  not  make  an  idol  of  him ; 
that  will  destroy  his  usefulness.  It  was  said  of  the  Erskines  that 
men  could  not  see  Christ  over  their  heads.  Remember,  look  be- 
yond him  and  above  him.  Those  that  would  have  worshipped 
Paul  were  the  people  who  stoned  him.  Do  not  stumble  at  his  in- 
firmities. There  are  spots  upon  the  sun,  and  infirmities  in  the  best 
of  men.  Cover  them,  do  not  stumble  at  them.  Would  you  re- 
fuse gold  because  it  was  brought  you  in  a  ragged  purse  ?  Would 
you  refuse  pure  water  because  it  came  in  a  chipped  bowl  ?  The 
treasure  is  in  an  earthen  vessel. 

2.  Make  use  of  your  pastor. — He  has  come  with  good  news 
from  a  far  country.     Come  and  hear. 

(l5f,)  Wait  patiently  on  his  ministry. — He  does  not  come  in  his 
own  name.  The  Lord  is  with  him.  If  you  refuse  him,  you  will 
refuse  Christ ;  for  he  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

(2d,)  Welcome  him  into  your  houses. — He  is  coming,  like  his 
Master,  to  seek  that  which  was  lost,  and  to  bind  up  that  which  is 
broken ;  to  strengthen  that  which  was  sick,  and  to  bring  again 
that  which  was  driven  away.  You  have  all  need  of  him,  whether 
converted  or  not.  Remember  there  is  an  awful  curse  against 
those  who  receive  not  gospel  messages.  He  will  shake  the  dust 
off  his  feet  against  you,  and  that  dust  will  rise  against  you  in  judg- 
ment. 

i^d)  Do  not  trouble  him  about  worldly  matters. — His  grand 


70  SERMON    XI. 

concern  is  to  get  your  soul  saved.  He  is  not  a  man  of  business, 
but  a  man  of  prayer.  He  has  given  himself  to  prayer,  and  to  the 
ministry  of  the  Word. 

{4th,)  Go  freely  to  him  about  your  souls. — "  The  minister's  house 
was  more  thronged  than  ever  the  tavern  hud  wont  to  be,''  These 
were  happy  days.  There  is  no  trade  I  would  like  to  see  broken 
in  this  place  but  that  of  the  taverners.  It  is  a  soul-destroying 
trade.  I  would  like  to  see  the  taverns  emptied,  and  the  minister's 
house  thronged.  Do  not  hesitate  to  go  to  him.  It  is  your  duty 
and  your  privilege.  It  is  your  duty — it  will  encourage  him,  and 
show  him  how  to  preach  to  your  souls.  It  is  your  privilege — I 
have  known  many  get  more  light  from  a  short  conversation  than 
from  many  sermons. 

(5///,)  Be  brief. — Tell  your  case.  Hear  his  word  and  be  gone. 
Remember  his  body  is  weak,  and  his  time  precious.  You  are 
stealing  his  time  from  others  or  from  God.  I  cannot  tell  you  what 
a  blessing  it  will  be  if  you  will  be  very  short  in  your  calls.  The 
talk  of  the  lips  tendeth  to  penury. 

3.  God's  children  pray  for  him. — Pray  for  his  body,  that  he 
may  be  kept  strong,  and  spared  for  many  years.  Pray  for  his 
soul,  that  he  may  be  kept  humble  and  holy,  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light,  that  he  may  grow.  Pray  for  his  ministry,  that  it  mny  be 
abundantly  blessed,  that  he  may  be  anointed  to  preach  good  tidings. 
Let  there  be  no  secret  prayer  without  naming  him  before  your 
God,  no  family  prayer  without  carrying  your  pastor  in  your  hearts 
to  God.     Hold  up  his  hands,  so  Israel  will  prevail  ngainst  Amalek. 

4.  Unconverted  souls,  prize  this  opportunity. — I  look  on  this  or- 
dination as  a  smile  of  heaven  upon  you.  God  might  have  taken 
away  ministers  from  this  town  instead  of  giving  us  more.  I  be- 
lieve the  Lord  Jesus  is  saying,  "  I  have  much  people  in  this  city." 
The  door  is  begun  to  be  opened  this  day.  The  Spirit  is  beginning 
to  shine.  O  that  you  would  know  the  day  of  your  visitation  ! 
This  is  the  market-day  of  grace  beginning  in  this  end  of  the  town, 
and  you  should  all  come  to  buy.  O  that  you  knew  the  day  of  your 
visitation  !  Some,  I  fear,  will  be  the  worse  of  this  ministry,  and  not 
the  better.  The  election  will  be  saved,  and  the  rest  be  blinded. 
Some  will  yet  wish  they  had  died  before  this  church  was  opened.  Be 
sure,  dear  souls,  that  you  will  either  be  saved,  or  more  lost,  by  this 
ministry.  Your  pastor  comes  with  the  silver  trumpet  of  mercy. 
Why  will  ye  turn  it  into  the  trumpet  of  judgment  ?  He  comes 
with  glad  tidings  of  great  joy.  Why  should  you  turn  them  into 
sad  tidings  of  endless  woe  1  He  comes  to  preach  the  acceptable 
day  of  the  Lord.  Why  will  ye  turn  it  into  the  day  of  vengeance 
of  our  God  ? 

16/ADfC.,  1S40. 


SERMON  xn.  71 


SERMON  XII. 

"  There  is  no  fear  in  love ;  but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear;  because  fear  hath  tor- 
ment. He  that  feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in  love.  We  love  him,  because  he 
first  loved  us.  If  a  mai  siy,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar;  for 
he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God 
whom  he  hath  not  seen  .'  And  tliis  commandment  have  we  from  him,  That  he 
who  loveth  God  loves  his  brother  also." — 1  John  iv.,  18-21. 

Doctrine. — Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear. 

I.   TJie  state  of  an  awakened  soul. — "  Fear  hath  torment.'* 
There  arc  two  kinds  of  fear  mentioned  in  the  Bible  very  oppo- 
site from  one  another.     The  one  is  the  very  atmosphere  of  heaven, 
the  other  is  the  very  atmosphere  of  hell. 

1.  There  is  the  fear  of  love. — This  is  the  very  temper  of  a  little 
child  :  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.  This  was 
the  mind  of  Job.  "  He  feared  God  and  hated  evil."  Nay,  it  is  the 
very  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  On  him  rested  "  the  spirit  of  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  made  him  of  quick  understanding  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord." 

2.  There  is  the  fear  of  terror. — This  is  the  very  temper  of 
devils  ;  "  the  devils  believe  and  tremble."  This  is  what  was  in 
Adam  and  Eve  after  the  fall ;  they  fled  from  the  voice  of  God,  and 
tried  to  hide  themselves  in  one  of  the  trees  of  the  garden.  This 
was  the  state  of  the  Jailor  when  he  trembled,  and  sprang  in  and 
'brought  them  out,  and  fell  at  their  feet,  saying,  "  Sirs,  what  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  This  is  the  fear  here  spoken  of;  tormenting 
fear.  **  Fear  hath  torment."  Some  of  you  have  felt  this  fear  that 
hath  torment.  Many  more  might  feci  it  this  day  ;  you  arc  within 
reach  of  it.     Let  me  explain  its  rise  in  the  soul. 

1st,  A  natural  man  casteth  off  fear,  and  restrains  prayer  before 
God.  "  They  have  been  at  ease  from  their  youth,  and  settled 
down  upon  their  lees,  they  have  not  been  emptied  from  vessel  to 
vessel ;  therefore,  their  taste  remains  in  them,  and  their  scent  is 
not  changed."  They  are  like  fallow-ground,  that  has  never  been 
broken  up  by  the  plough,  but  is  overrun  with  briers  and  thorns. 
Are  there  not  some  among  you  that  never  trembled  for  your 
soul?  You  th'nk  you  are  as  good  as  your  neighbors.  Ah  !  well, 
your  dream  will  be  broken  up  one  day  soon. 

2c?,  When  the  Spirit  of  God  opens  the  eyes,  he  makes  the 
stoutest  sinner  tremble.  He  shows  him  the  number  of  his  sins,  or 
rather  that  they  cannot  be  numbered.  Before,  he  had  a  memory 
that  easily  forgot  his  sins ;  oaths  slipped  over  his  tongue  and  he 
knew  it  not;  every  day  added  new  sins  to  his  page  on  God's 
book,  yet  he  remembered  not.  But  now,  the  Spirit  of  God  sets 
all  his  sins  straight  before  him.  All  unpardoned,  long-forgotten 
enormities,  rise  up  behind  him.  Then  he  begins  to  tremble. 
"  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me  about." 


72  SERMON    XII, 

3d,  The  Spirit  makes  him  feel  the  greatness  of  sin,  the  exceed- 
ing sinfuhiess  of  it.  Before,  it  seemed  nothing ;  but  now,  it  rises 
like  a  flood  over  the  soul.  The  wrath  of  God  he  feels  abiding  on 
him  ;  a  terrible  sound  is  in  his  ears.  He  knows  not  what  to  do  ; 
his  fear  hath  torment.  Sin  is  seen  now  as  done  against  a  holy 
God,  done  against  a  God  of  love,  done  against  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  love. 

4th,  A  third  thing  which  awfully  torments  the  soul  is,  corrup- 
tion working  in  the  heart.  Often  persons  under  conviction  are 
made  to  feel  the  awful  workings  of  corruption  in  their  heart. 
Often  temptation  and  conviction  of  sin  meet  together,  and  awfully 
torment  the  soul,  rending  it  in  pieces.  Conviction  of  sin  is  piercing 
his  heart,  driving  him  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  yet  at 
the  same  moment  some  raging  lust,  or  envy,  or  horrid  malice,  is 
boiling  in  his  heart,  driving  him  towards  hell.  Then  a  man  feels 
a  hell  within  him.  In  hell  there  will  be  this  awful  mixture  ;  there 
will  be  an  overwhelming  dread  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  yet  cor- 
ruption boiling  up  within,  will  drive  the  soul  more  and  more  into 
the  flames.  This  is  often  felt  on  earth.  Some  of  you  may  be 
feeling  it.     This  is  the  fear  that  hath  torment. 

5th,  Another  thing  the  Spirit  convinces  the  soul  of  is,  his  in- 
ability to  help  himself.  When  a  man  is  first  awakened,  he  says,  I 
shall  soon  get  myself  out  of  this  sad  condition.  He  falls  upon 
many  contrivances  to  justify  himself.  He  changes  his  life ;  he 
tries  to  repent,  to  pray.  He  is  soon  taught  that  "  his  righteous- 
nesses are  filthy  rags ;"  that  he  is  trying  to  cover  rags  with  filthy 
rags  ;  he  is  brought  to  feel  that  all  he  can  do  signifies  just  nothings 
and  that  he  never  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean.  This 
sinks  the  soul  in  gloom.     This  fear  hath  torment. 

Gth,  He  fears  he  shall  never  be  in  Christ.  Some  of  you  perhaps 
know  that  this  fear  hath  torment.  The  free  offer  of  Christ  is  the 
very  thing  that  pierces  you  to  the  heart.  You  hear  that  he  is 
altogether  lovely,  that  he  invites  sinners  to  come  to  him,  that  he 
never  casts  out  those  that  do  come.  But  you  fear  you  will  never 
be  one  of  these.  You  fear  you  have  sinned  too  long  or  too  much, 
you  have  sinned  away  your  day  of  grace.  Ah !  this  fear  hath 
torment. 

Some  will  say,  "  It  is  not  good  to  be  awakened  then." 

Ans.  1.  It  is  the  way  to  peace  that  passeth  understanding.  It 
is  God's  chosen  method,  to  bring  you  lo  feel  your  need  of  Christ 
before  you  come  to  Christ.  At  present  your  peace  is  like  a 
dream  :  when  you  awake  you  will  find  it  so.  Ask  awakened 
souls  if  they  would  go  back  again  to  their  slumber.  Ah  !  no  ;  if 
I  die,  let  me  die  at  the  foot  of  the  cross ;  let  me  not  perish  un- 
awakened. 

Ans.  2.  You  must  be  awakened  one  day.  If  not  now,  you  will 
afterwards,  in  hell.  After  death,  fear  will  come  on  your  secure 
souls.     There  is  not  one  unawakened  soul  in  hell ;  all  are  trera- 


SERMON    XII.  73 

bling  there.  The  devils  tremble ;  the  damned  spirits  tremble. 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  tremble  now,  and  flee  to  Jesus  Christ 
for  refuge  1  Now,  he  is  waiting  to  be  gracious  to  you.  Then,  he 
will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh.  You  will  know  to  all  eternity 
that  "  fear  hath  torment." 

II.  The  change  on  believing. — "  There  is  no  fear  in  love." 
"  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear." 

1.  The  love  here  spoken  of  is  not  our  love  to  God,  but  his  love 
to  us ;  for  it  is  called  perfect  love.  All  that  is  ours  is  imperfect. 
When  we  have  done  all,  we  must  say,  "  We  are  unprofitable  ser- 
vants." Sin  mingles  with  all  we  think  and  do.  It  were  no  comfort 
to  tell  us  that,  if  we  would  love  God  perfectly,  it  would  cast  out 
fear ;  for  how  can  we  work  that  love  into  our  souls  ?  It  is  the 
Father's  love  to  us  that  casteth  out  fear.  He  is  the  Perfect  One. 
All  his  works  are  perfect.  He  can  do  nothing  but  what  is  perfect. 
His  knowledge  is  perfect  knowledge  :  his  wrath  is  perfect  wrath  ; 
his  love  is  perfect  love.  It  is  this  perfect  love  which  casteth  out 
fear.  Just  as  the  sunbeams  cast  oat  darkness  wherever  they  fall, 
so  does  this  love  cast  out  fe:ir. 

2.  But  where  does  this  love  fall  ? — On  Jesus  Christ.  Twice 
God  spake  from  heaven,  and  said,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased."  God  perfectly  loves  his  own  Son.  He 
sees  infinite  beauty  in  his  person.  God  sees  himself  manifested. 
He  is  infinitely  pleased  with  his  finished  work.  The  infinite  heart 
of  the  infinite  God  flows  out  in  love  towards  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  And  there  is  no  fear  in  the  bosom  of  Christ.  All  his  fears 
are  past.  Once  he  said,  "  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors  I  am  dis- 
tressed ;"  but  now  he  is  in  perfect  love,  and  perfect  love  casteth 
out  fear.  Hearken,  trembling  souls  !  Here  you  may  find  rest  to 
your  souls.  You  do  not  need  to  live  another  hour  under  your  tor- 
menting fears.  Jesus  Christ  has  borne  the  wrath  of  which  you 
are  afraid.  He  now  stands  a  refuge  for  the  oppressed,  a  refuge  in 
the  time  of  trouble.  Look  to  Christ,  and  your  fear  will  be  cast 
out.  Come  to  the  feet  of  Christ,  and  you  will  find  rest.  Call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  you  will  be  delivered.  You  say, 
you  cannot  look,  nor  come,  nor  cry,  for  you  are  helpless.  Hear, 
then,  and  your  soul  shall  live.  Jesus  is  a  Saviour  to  the  helpless. 
Christ  is  not  only  a  Saviour  to  those  who  are  naked,  and  empty 
and  have  no  goodness  to  recommend  themselves,  but  he  is  a  Sa- 
viour to  those  who  are  unable  to  give  themselves  to  him.  You 
cannot  be  in  too  desperate  a  condition  for  Christ.  As  long  as  you 
remain  unbelieving,  you  are  under  his  perfect  wrath  ;  wrath 
without  any  mixture.  The  wrath  of  God  will  be  as  amazing  as 
his  love.  It  comes  out  of  the  same  bosom.  But  the  moment  you 
look  to  Christ,  you  will  come  under  his  perfect  love — love  with- 
out any  coldness,  light  without  any  shade,  love  without  any  cloud 
or  mountain  betweeru     God's  love  will  cast  out  all  your  fears. 


74  SERMON    XII. 

III.  His  love  gives  boldness  in  the  Day  of  Judgment,  verso 
17.  There  is  a  great  day  coming,  often  spoken  of  in  the  Bible — 
the  Day  of  Judgment — the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets 
of  men's  hearts  by  Christ  Jesus.  The  Christless  will  not  be  able 
to  stand  in  that  dny.  The  ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judg- 
ment. At  present,  sinners  have  much  boldness  ;  their  neck  is  an 
iron  sinew,  and  their  brow  brass.  Many  of  them  cannot  blush 
when  they  arc  caught  in  sin.  Amongst  ourselves,  is  it  not  amaz- 
ing how  bold  sinners  are  in  forsaking  ordinances  ?  With  what  a 
brazen  face  will  some  men  swear  !  How  bold  some  ungodly  men 
are  in  coming  to  the  Lord's  Table  !  But  it  will  not  be  so  in  a  l-ttle 
while.  When  Christ  shall  appear — the  holy  Jesus,  in  all  his  glory, 
then  brazen-faced  sinners  will  begin  to  blush.  Those  that  never 
prayed  will  begin  to  wail.  Sinners,  whose  limbs  carried  them 
stoutly  to  sin  and  to  the  Lord's  Table  last  Sabbath,  will  find  their 
knees  knocking  against  one  another.  Who  shall  abide  the  day  of 
his  coming,  and  who  shall  stand  when  he  appears?  When  the 
books  are  opened — the  one  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  the 
other  the  Bible — then  the  dead  will  be  judged  out  of  those  things 
written  in  the  books.  Then  the  heart  of  the  ungodly  will  die 
within  them;  then  will  begin  "  their  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt." Many  wicked  persons  comfort  themselves  with  this,  that 
their  sin  is  not  known,  thit  no  eye  sees  them  ;  but  in  that  day  the 
ifiOst  secret  sins  will  be  all  brought  out  to  the  light.  '*  Every  idle 
word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in 
the  Day  of  Judgment."  How  would  you  tremble  and  blush,  O 
wicked  man,  if  I  were  now  to  go  over  before  this  congregation 
the  secret  sins  you  have  committed  during  the  past  week  ;  all 
your  secret  fraud  and  cheating  ;  your  secret  uncleanness ;  your 
secret  malice  and  envy  ;  how  you  would  blush  and  be  confounded  I 
How  much  more  in  that  day,  when  the  secrets  of  your  whole  life 
shall  be  made  manifest  before  an  assembled  world  !  What  eternal 
confusion  will  sink  down  your  soul  in  that  day  !  You  will  be 
quite  chop-fallen  ;  all  your  pride  and  blustering  will  be  gone. 
All  in  Christ  will  have  boldness. 

1.  Because  Christ  shall  he  Judge. — What  abundant  peace  will 
it  give  you  in  that  day,  believer,  when  you  see  Christ  is  judge  I 
He  that  shed  his  blood  for  you.  He  that  is  your  surety,  your 
shepherd,  your  all.  It  will  take  away  all  fear.  You  will  be  able 
to  say,  who  shall  condemn,  for  Christ  hath  died.  In  the  very  hand 
that  opens  the  books,  you  will  see  ihe  marks  of  the  wounds  made 
by  your  sins.  Christ  will  be  the  same  to  you  in  the  judgment  that 
he  is  now. 

2.  Because  the  Father  himself  loveth  you.  Christ  and  the  Fa- 
ther are  one.  The  Father  sees  no  sin  in  you  ;  because  as  Chiist 
is,  so  are  you  in  this  world.  You  are  judged  by  God  according 
to  what  the  surety  is  ;  so  that  God's  love  will  be  with  you  in  that 


SERMON    XII.  75 

day.     You  will  feel  the  smile  of  the  Father,  and  you  will  hear  the 
voice  of  Jesus  saying,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father." 

Learn  to  fear  nothing  between  this  and  judgment.  Fear  not, 
wait  on  ihe  Lord  and  be  of  good  courage. 

IV.  The  consequences  of  being  in  the  love  of  God. 

\.  "  We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us ;"  v.  19.  When  a 
poor  sinner  cleaves  to  Jesus,  and  finds  the  forgiving  love  of  God, 
he  cannot  but  love  God  back  again.  When  the  prodigal  returned 
home  and  felt  his  Father's  arms  around  his  neck,  then  did  he  feel 
the  gushings  of  affection  toward  his  father.  When  the  summer 
sun  shines  full  down  upon  the  sea,  it  draws  the  vapors  upward  to 
the  sky.  iSo  when  the  sunbeams  of  the  Son  of  Righteousness  fall 
upon  the  soul,  they  draw  forth  the  constant  risings  of  love  to  him 
in  return. 

Some  of  you  are  longing  to  be  able  to  love  God.  Come  into 
his  Iqvg  then.  Consent  to  be  loved  by  him,  though  worthless  in 
yourself.  It  is  better  to  be  loved  by  him  than  to  love,  and  it  is 
the  only  way  to  learn  to  love  him.  When  the  light  of  the  sun 
falls  upon  the  moon,  it  finds  the  moon  dark  and  unlovely,  but  the 
moon  reflects  the  light,  and  casts  it  back  again,  So  let  the  love 
of  God  shine  into  your  breast,  and  you  will  cast  it  back  again. 
The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.  "  We  love  him  because  he 
first  loved  us."  The  only  cure  for  a  cold  heart  is  to  look  at  the 
heart  of  Jesus. 

Some  of  you  have  no  love  to  God  because  you  love  an  idol. 
You  may  be  sure  you  have  never  come  into  his  love  :  that  curse 
rests  upon  you,  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  let 
him  be  Anathema  maranatha." 

2.  We  love  our  brother  also.  If  you  love  an  absent  person  you 
will  love  their  picture.  What  is  that  the  sailor's  wife  keeps  so 
closely  wrnpped  in  a  napkin,  laid  up  in  her  best  drawer  among 
sweet  smelling  flowers  1  She  takes  it  out  morning  and  evening, 
and  gazes  at  it  through  her  tears.  It  is  the  picture  of  her  absent 
husband.  She  loves  it  because  it  is  like  him.  It  has  many  imper- 
fections, but  still  it  is  like.  Believers  are  the  pictures  of  God  in 
this  world.  The  spirit  of  Christ  dwells  in  them.  They  walk  as 
he  walked.  True,  they  are  full  of  imperfections ;  still  they  are 
true  copies.  If  you  love  him,  you  wull  love  them.  You  will 
make  them  your  bosom  friends. 

Are  there  none  of  you  that  dislike  real  Christians  ?  You  do  not 
like  their  look,  their  ways,  their  speech,  their  prayers.  You  call 
them  hypocrites,  and  keep  away  from  them.  Do  you  know  the 
reason  ?  You  hate  the  copy,  because  you  hate  the  original ;  you 
hate  Christ,  and  are  none  of  his. 

St.  Peter's,  1840. 


76  SERMON   XIII. 


SERMON  XIII. 

ACTION  SERMO'N.— October  25,  1840. 

"  But  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world." — Gal.  vi.,  14. 

Doctrine — Glorying  in  the  Cross. 

I.  The  subject  here  spoken  of  by  Paul.  The  Cross  of  Christ. 
— This  word  is  used  in  three  diflerent  senses  in  the  Bible.  It  is 
important  to  distinguish  them. 

1.  It  is  used  to  signify  the  wooden  cross ;  the  tree  upon  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  cruciried.  The  punishment  of  the  cross  was 
a  Roman  invention.  It  was  made  use  of  only  in  the  case  of 
slaves,  or  very  notorious  malefactors.  The  cross  was  made  of 
two  beams  of  wood  crossing  each  other.  It  was  laid  on  the 
ground  and  the  criminal  stretched  upon  it.  A  nail  was  driven 
through  each  hand,  and  one  nail  through  both  the  feet.  It  was 
then  lifted  upright,  and  let  fall  into  a  hole,  where  it  was  wedged 
in.  The  cruciHed  man  was  then  left  to  die,  hanging  by  his  hands 
and  feet.  This  was  the  death  to  which  Jesus  stooped.  "  He 
endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame."  "  He  became  obedient 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  Matt,  xxvii.,  40,  42 ; 
Mark  xv.,  30,  32  ;  Luke  xxiii,,  26 ;  John  xix.,  17,  19,  25,  31 ; 
Eph.  ii.,  16. 

2.  It  is  used  to  signify  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ 
crucified.  So  1  Cor.  i.,  18,  "  The  preaching  of  the  Cross  is  to 
them  that  perish  foolishness,  but  unto  us  who  are  saved  it  is  the 
power  of  God ;"  compared  with  verse  23,  "  We  preach  Christ 
crucified,"  &c.  Here  it  is  plain  the  preaching  of  the  Cross  and 
the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified  are  the  same  thing.  This  is  the 
meaning  in  the  passage  before  us,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory,  &c."  It  is  the  name  given  to  the  whole  plan  of  salvation 
by  a  crucified  Redeemer.  That  little  word  implies  the  whole 
glorious  work  of  Christ  for  us.  It  implies  the  love  of  God  in  giv- 
ing his  Son  (John  iii.,  16) ;  the  love  of  Christ  in  giving  himself 
(Eph.  v.,  2) ;  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God ;  his  substitution, 
one  for  many ;  his  atoning  sufferings  and  death.  The  whole  work 
of  Christ  is  included  in  that  little  word,  the  Cross  of  Christ.  And 
the  reason  is  plain;  his  dying  on  the  cross  was  the  lowest  point 
of  his  humiliation.  It  was  there  he  cried.  It  is  finished;  the  work 
of  my  obedience  is  finished  !  my  sufferings  are  finished  ;  the  work 
of  redemption  is  complete ;  the  wrath  of  my  people  is  finished ; 
and  he  bowed  the  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  Hence  his  whole 
finished  work  is  called  the  Cross  of  Christ. 

3.  It  is  used  to  signify  the  sufferings  borne  in  following  Christ. 


SERMON    XIII.  77 

"If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take 
up  his  cross  and  follow  me,"  Matt,  xvi.,  24.  When  a  man  deter- 
mines to  follow  Christ,  he  must  give  up  his  sinful  pleasures,  his 
sinful  companions;  he  meets  with  scorn,  ridicule,  contempt, 
hatred ;  the  persecution  of  early  friends ;  his  name  is  cast  out  as 
evil.  "He  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  perse- 
cution." Now,  to  meet  all  these  is  "  to  take  up  the  cross."  "  He 
that  taketh  not  up  his  cross  and  followeth  after  me,  is  not  worthy 
of  me." 

In  the  passage  before  us  the  words  are  used  in  the  second 
meaning ;  the  plan  of  salvation  by  a  crucified  Saviour. 

Dear  friends,  it  is  this  that  is  set  before  you  in  the  broken 
bread  and  poured  out  wine ;  the  whole  work  of  Christ  for  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners.  The  love  and  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are  all 
gathered  into  a  focus  there.  The  love  of  the  Father ;  the  cove- 
nant with  the  Son  ;  the  love  of  Jesus ;  his  incarnation,  obedience, 
death  ;  all  are  set  before  you  in  that  broken  bread  and  wine.  It 
is  a  sweet,  silent  sermon.  Many  a  sermon  contains  not  Christ 
from  beginning  to  end.  Many  show  him  doubtfully  and  imper- 
fectly. But  here  is  nothing  else  but  Christ  and  him  crucified. 
Most  rich  and  speaking  ordinance  !  Pray  that  the  very  sight  of 
that  broken  bread  may  break  your  hearts,  and  make  them  flow  to 
the  Lamb  of  God.  Pray  for  conversions  from  the  sight  of  the 
broken  bread  and  poured  out  wine.  Look  attentively,  dear  souls 
and  little  children,  when  the  bread  is  broken  and  the  wine  poured 
out.  It  is  a  heart-affecting  sight.  May  the  Holy  Spirit  bless  it. 
Dear  believers,  look  you  attentively,  to  get  deeper,  fuller  views  of 
the  way  of  pardon  and  holiness.  A  look  from  the  eye  of  Christ  to 
Peter  broke  and  melted  his  proud  heart ;  he  went  out  and  wept 
bitterly.  Pray  that  a  single  look  of  that  broken  bread  may  do  the 
same  for  you.  When  the  Roman  centurion,  that  watched  beside 
the  cross  of  Jesus,  saw  him  die,  and  the  rocks  rend,  he  cried  out. 
Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God  !  Look  at  this  broken  bread,  and 
you  will  see  the  same  thing,  and  may  your  heart  be  made  to  cry 
after  the  Lord  Jesus.  When  the  dying  thief  looked  on  the  pale 
face  of  Immanuel,  and  saw  the  holy  majesty  that  beamed  from  his 
dying  eye,  he  cried.  Lord,  remember  me  !  This  broken  bread 
reveals  the  same  thing.  May  the  same  grace  be  given  you,  and 
may  you  breathe  the  cry,  Lord  remember  me  I 

O  get  ripening  views  of  Christ,  dear  believers.  The  corn  in 
harvest  sometimes  ripens  more  in  one  day  than  in  weeks  before. 
So  some  Christians  gain  more  grace  in  one  day  than  for  months 
before.  Pray  that  this  may  be  a  ripening  harvest  day  in  your 
souls. 

II.  Pauls  feelings  towards  the  Cross  of  Christ :  "  God  forbid," 

I.  It  is  implied  that  he  had  utterly  forsaken  the  way  of  right- 


78  SERMON  xiir. 

eousness  by  deeds  of  the  law.  Every  natural  man  seelis  snlvation 
by  making  himself  betfer  in  the  sight  of  God.  He  tries  to  mend 
his  life ;  he  puts  a  bridle  on  his  tongue  ;  he  tries  to  command  his 
feelings  and  thoughts,  all  to  make  himself  better  in  the  siaht  of 
God.  Or  he  goes  further ;  tries  to  cover  li's  past  sins  by  relgious 
observances;  he  becomes  a  religious  man;  prays,  weeps,  reads, 
attends  sacraments,  is  deeply  occupied  in  religion,  and  tries  to  get 
it  into  his  heart,  all  to  make  himself  appear  good  in  the  eye  of 
God,  that  he  may  lay  God  under  debt  to  pardon  and  love  him. 
Paul  trigd  this  plan  for  long.  He  was  a  Pharisee,  touching  the 
righteousness  in  the  law  blameless;  he  lived  an  outwardly  blame- 
less life,  and  was  highly  thought  of  as  a  most  religious  man. 
"  But  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  tor  Christ." 
When  it  plepsed  God  to  open  his  eyes,  he  gave  up  this  way  of 
self-righteousness  for  ever  and  ever ;  he  had  no  more  any  peace 
from  looking  in  :  "  we  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh  ;"  he  bade 
farewell  for  ever  to  that  way  of  seeking  peace.  Nay,  he  trampled 
it  under  his  feet.  "  I  do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win 
Christ.  Oh  !  it  is  a  glorious  thing  when  a  man  is  brought  to  tram- 
ple under  feet  his  own  righteousness ;  it  is  the  hardest  thing  in 
the  world. 

2.  He  betook  himself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — Paul  got 
such  a  view  of  the  glory,  brightness,  and  excellency  of  the  way 
of  salvation  by  Jesus,  that  it  filled  his  whole  heart.  All  other 
things  sunk  into  littleness.  Every  mountain  and  hill  was  brought 
low,  the  crooked  was  made  straight,  the  rough  places  smooth,  and 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  revealed.  As  the  rising  sun  makes  all 
the  stars  disappear,  so  the  rising  of  Christ  upon  his  soul  made 
everything  else  disappear.  Jesus  suffering  ibr  us  filled  his  eye ; 
filled  his  heart.  He  saw,  believed,  and  was  happy.  Christ  for  us, 
answered  all  his  need.  From  the  Cross  of  Christ  a  ray  of  heavenly 
light  flamed  to  his  soul,  filling  him  with  light  and  joy  unspeakable. 
He  felt  that  God  was  glorified,  and  he  was  saved ;  he  cleaved  to 
the  Lord  with  full  purpose  of  heart.  Like  Edwards,  "  I  was  un- 
speakably pleased." 

3.  He  gloried  in  the  Cross. — He  confessed  Christ  before  men  ; 
he  was  not  ashamed  of  Chrisc  before  that  adulterous  generation ; . 
he  gloried  that  this  was  his  way  of  pardon,  peace,  and  holiness. 
Ah  !  what  a  change  !  once  he  blasphemed  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
persecuted'  to  the  death  those  that  called  on  his  name  ;  now  it  is 
all  his  boast,  "  Straightway  he  preached  Christ  in  the  synagogues, 
that  he  is  the  Son  of  God."  Once  he  gloried  in  his  blameless 
life  when  he  was  among  Pharisees ;  now  he  glories  in  this,  that 
he  is  the  chief  of  sinners,  but  that  Christ  died  for  such  as  he.  Once 
he  gloried  in  his  learning,  when  he  sat  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel; 
now  he  glories  in  being  reckoned  a  fool  for  Christ's  sake,  in  being 
a  little  child  led  by  the  hand  of  Jesus.  At  the  Lord's  table,  among 
his  friends,  in  heathen  cities,  at  Athens,  at  Rome,  among  the  wise 


SERMON    XIII.  79 

or  unwise,  before  kings  and  princes,  he  glories  in  it  as  the  only 
thing  worthy  of  being  known  ;  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified. 

Dear  Iriends,  have  you  been  brought  to  glory  only  in  the  Cross 
of  Christ  ? 

1.  Have  yon  given  over  the  old  way  of  salvation  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law  ?  Your  natural  heart  is  set  upon  that  way.  You  are 
always  for  making  yourself  better  and  better  till  you  can  lay  God 
under  obligation  to  pardon  you.  You  are  always  for  looking  in 
for  righteousness.  You  are  looking  in  at  your  convictions,  and 
sorrow  for  past  sins,  your  tears  and  anxious  prayers ;  or  you  are 
looking  in  at  your  amendment,  forsaking  of  wicked  courses,  and 
struggles  after  a  new  hfe  ;  or  you  are  looking  at  your  own  religious 
exercises,  your  fervency,  and  enlarged  heart  in  prayer  or  in  the 
house  of  God  ;  or  you  are  looking  at  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  you,  the  graces  of  the  spirit.  Alas  !  alas  !  The  bed  is  shorter  than 
that  you  can  stretch  yourself  on  it,  the  covering  is  narrower  than 
that  you  can  wrap  yourself  in  it.  Despair  of  pardon  in  that  way. 
Give  it  up  ibr  ever.  Your  heart  is  desperately  wicked.  Every 
righteousness  in  which  your  hcai't  has  anything  to  do  is  vile  and 
polluted,  and  cannot  appear  in  his  sight.  Count  it  all  loss,  filthy 
rags,  dung,  that  you  may  win  Christ. 

2.  Betake  yourself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Believe  the  love 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  delighteth  in  mercy;  he  is  ready 
to  forgive;  in  him  compassions  flow;  he  justifit-^s  the  ungodly. 
Have  you  seen  the  glory  of  the  cross  of  Jesus?  Has  it  attracted 
your  heart?  Do  you  feel  unspeakably  pleased  with  that  way  of 
salvation  ?  Do  you  see  that  God  is  glorified  when  you  are  saved  ? 
that  God  is  a  God  of  majesty,  truth,  unsullied  hoLness,  and  inflexi- 
ble justice,  and  yet  you  are  justified  ?  Does  the  cross  of  Christ  fill 
your  heart  ?  Does  it  make  a  great  calm  in  your  soul,  a  heavenly 
rest  ?  Do  you  love  that  word,  "  the  righteousness  of  God;"  "  the 
righteousness  which  is  by  faith,"  the  righteousness  without  works? 
Do  you  sit  within  sight  of  the  cross  ?     Does  your  soul  rest  there  ? 

3.  Glory  only  in  the  Cross  of  Christ.  Observe,  there  cannot  be 
a  secret  Christian.  Grace  is  like  ointment  hid  in  the  hand,  it  be- 
wrayeth  itself.  A  lively  Christian  cannot  keep  silence.  If  you 
truly  feel  the  sweetness  of  the  Cross  of  Christ,  you  will  be  con- 
strained to  confess  Christ  before  men.  "  It  is  like  the  best  wine, 
that  goeth  down  sweetly,  causing  lips  to  speak."  Do  you  confess 
him  in  your  family  ?  Do  you  make  it  known  there  that  you  are 
Christ's  ?  Remember,  you  must  be  decided  in  your  own  house. 
It  is  the  mark  of  a  hypocrite  to  be  a  Christian  everywhere  except 
at  home.  Among  your  companions,  do  you  own  him  a  friend 
whom  you  have  found  ?  In  the  shop  and  in  the  market,  are  you 
willing  to  be  known  as  a  man  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  lamb  ? 
Do  you  long  that  all  your  dealings  be  under  the  sweet  rules  of  the 
gospel?     Come  then  to  the  Lord's  Table  and  confess  him  that  has 


80  SERMON    XIII. 

saved  your  soul.  Oh  !  grant  that  it  may  be  a  true,  free,  and  full 
confession.  This  is  my  sweet  food,  my  lamb,  my  righteousness, 
my  Lord  and  my  God,  my  all  in  all.  "  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory  save  in  the  cross."  Once  you  gloried  in  riches,  friends, 
lame,  sin  ;  now  in  a  crucified  Jesus. 

III.  The  effects. — "  The  world  is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  unto  the 
world."  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  is  a  new  creature,"  &c. 
When  the  blind  beggar  of  Jericho  got  his  eyes  opened  by  the 
Lord,  this  world  was  all  changed  to  him,  and  he  to  the  world.  So 
it  was  with  Paul ;  no  sooner  did  he  rise  from  his  knees,  with  the 
peace  of  Jesus  in  his  heart,  than  the  world  got  its  death-blow  in 
his  eyes.  As  he  Isurried  over  the  smooth  stones  of  the  streets  of 
Damascus,  or  looked  down  from  the  flat  roof  of  his  house  upon  the 
lovely  gardens  on  the  banks  of  the  Abana,  the  world  and  all  its 
dazzling  shovi^  seemed  to  his  eye  a  poor,  shrivelled,  crucified  thing. 
Once  it  was  his  all.  Once  its  soft  and  slippery  flatteries  were 
pleasant  as  music  to  his  ear.  Riches,  beauty,  pleasure,  all  that 
the  natural  eye  admires,  his  heart  was  once  set  upon  ;  but  the 
moment  he  believed  on  Jesus  all  these  began  to  die.  True,  they 
were  not  dead,  but  they  were  nailed  to  a  cross.  They  no  more 
had  that  living  attraction  for  them  they  once  had  ;  and  now  every 
day  they  began  to  lose  their  power.  As  a  dying  man  on  the  cross 
grows  weaker  every  moment,  while  his  heart's  blood  trickles  from 
the  deep  gashes  in  his  hands  and  feet,  so  the  world,  that  was  once 
his  all,  began  to  lose  every  moment  its  attractive  power.  He 
tasted  so  much  sweetness  in  Christ,  in  pardon,  access  to  God,  the 
smile  of  God,  the  indwelling  spirit,  that  the  world  became  every 
day  a  more  tasteless  world  to  him. 

Another  eflfect  was,  "  /  to  the  world." — As  Paul  laid  his  hand 
upon  his  own  bosom  he  felt  that  it  also  was  changed.  Once  it 
was  as  a  mettled  race-horse  that  paces  the  ground  and  cannot  be 
bridled  in  ;  once  it  was  like  the  fox-hounds  on  the  scent  impatient 
of  the  leash  ;  his  heart  thus  rushed  after  fame,  honor,  worldly 
praise  ;  but  now  it  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  a  broken,  contrite 
heart.  True,  it  was  not  dead.  Many  a  fitful  start  his  old  nature 
gave  that  drove  him  to  his  knees  and  made  him  cry  for  grace  to 
help ;  but  still,  the  more  he  looked  to  the  cross  of  Jesus,  the  more 
his  old  heart  began  to  die.  Every  day  he  felt  less  desire  for  sin  ; 
more  desire  for  Christ,  and  God,  and  perfect  holiness. 

Some  may  discover  that  they  have  never  come  to  Christ.  Has 
the  world  been  crucified  to  you  ?  Once  it  was  your  all;  its  praise,  its 
riches,  its  songs,  and  merry-makings  ?  Has  it  been  nailed  to  the 
cross  in  your  sight  ?  Oh  !  put  your  hand  on  your  heart.  Has  it  lost 
its  burning  desire  after  earthly  things  ?  They  that  are  Christ's  have 
crucified  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts.  Do  you  feel  that 
Jesus  has  put  the  nails  through  your  lusts  ?  Do  you  wish  they 
were  dead  ?     What  answer  can  you  make,  sons  and  daughters  of 


SERMON    XIV.  81 

pleasure,  to  whom  the  dance,  and  song,  and  the  glass,  and  witty 
repartee,  are  the  sum  of  hnj3piness  ?  Ye  are  none  of  Christ's. 
What  answer  can  you  make,  lovers  of  money,  sordid  money- 
makers, who  had  rather  have  a  few  more  sovereigns  than  the 
grace  of  God  in  your  heart  ?  What  answer  can  you  make,  flesh- 
pleasers,  night-walkers,  lovers  of  darkness  ?  Ye'are  not  Christ's. 
Ye  have  not  come  to  Christ.  The  world  is  all  ahve  to  you,  and 
you  are  living  to  the  world.  You  cannot  glory  in  the  cross,  and 
love  the  world.  Ah  !  poor  deluded  souls,  you  have  never  seen 
the  glory  of  the  way  of  pardon  by  Jesus.  Go  on  ;  love  the  world  ; 
grasp  every  pleasure  ;  gather  heaps  of  money  ;  feed  and  fatten  on 
your  lusts  ;  take  your  fill.  What  will  it  profit  you  when  you  lose 
your  own  soul  ? 

Some  are  saying,  O  that  the  world  was  crucified  to  me  and  I 
to  the  world  !  O  that  my  heart  were  as  dead  as  a  stone  to  the  world, 
and  aUve  to  Jesus  !  Do  you  truly  wish  it?  Look,  then,  to  the 
cross.  Behold  the  amazing  gift  of  love.  Salvation  is  promised  to 
a  look.  Sit  down  like  Mary,  and  gaze  upon  a  crucified  Jesus. 
So  will  the  world  become  a  dim  and  dying  thing.  When  you 
gaze  upon  the  sun,  it  makes  everything  else  dark  ;  when  you 
taste  honey,  it  makes  everything  else  tasteless  ;  so  when  vour 
soul  feeds  on  Jesus,  it  takes  away  the  sweetness  of  all  earthly 
things  ;  praise,  pleasure,  fleshly  lusts,  all  lose  their  sweetness. 
Keep  a  continued  gaze.  Run,  looking  unto  Jesus.  Look,  till  the 
way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  fills  up  the  whole  horizon,  so  glorious  and 
peace-speaking.  So  will  the  world  be  crucified  to  you,  and  you 
unto  the  world. 


SERMON  XIV. 

"  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself  before  the  High  God  ? 
shall  I  come  before  him  with  burnt-offerings,  with  calves  of  a  year  old  ?  Will 
the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of 
oil  ?  Shall  I  give  my  first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my  body  for 
the  sin  of  my  soul  ?  He  hath  showed  tfiee,  O  man,  what  is  good ;  and  what  doth 
the  Lord  require  of  thee  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly 
with  thy  God  ?"— Micah  vi ,  6  S 

Doctrine. — The  good  way  of  coming  before  the  Lord. 

The  question  of  an  awakened  soul. — "  Wherewith  shall  I  come 
before  the  Lord  f"  An  unawakened  man  never  puts  that  question. 
A  natural  man  has  no  desire  to  come  before  God,  or  to  bow  him- 
self before  the  high  God.  He  does  not  like  to  think  of  God.  He 
would  rather  think  of  any  other  subject.  He  easily  forgets  what 
he  is  told  about  God.     A  natural  man  has  no  memory  for  divine 

6 


82  SERMON    XIV. 

things,  because  he  has  no  heart  for  them.  He  has  no  desire  to 
come  before  God  in  prayer.  There  is  nothing  a  natural  man 
hates  more  than  prayer.  He  would  far  rather  spend  half  an  hour 
every  morning  in  bodily  exercise  or  in  hard  labor,  than  in  the 
presence  of  God.  He  has  no  desire  to  come  before  God  when  he 
dies.  He  knows  that  he  must  appear  belbrc  God,  but  it  gives  him 
no  joy.  He  had  rather  sink  into  nothing  ;  he  had  rather  never  see 
the  face  of  God.  Ah  !  my  friends,  is  this  your  condition?  How 
surely  you  may  know  that  you  have  "  the  carnal  mind  which  is 
enmity  against  God."  You  are  like  Pharaoh  ;  "  Who  is  the  Lord 
that  J  should  obey  him  ?"  You  say  to  God,  "  Depart  from  me,  for 
I  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways."  What  an  awful  state  it 
is  to  be  in  to  have  no  desire  after  him  who  is  the  fountain  of  Lving 
waters  ! 

I.  Here  is  the  piercing  question  of  every  awakened  soul. 

1.  An  awakened  soul  feels  that  his  chief  happiness  is  in  coming 
before  God.  This  was  unfallen  Adam^s  happiness.  He  felt  like 
a  child  under  a  loving  father's  eye.  It  was  his  chief  joy  to  come 
before  God,  to  be  loved  by  him,  to  be  like  a  mote  in  the  sunbeam, 
to  be  continually  basked  in  the  sunshine  of  his  love,  no  cloud  or 
veil  coming  between.  This  is  the  joy  of  holy  angels,  to  come 
before  the  Lord,  and  bow  before  the  high  God.  In  his  presence 
is  fulness  of  joy.  "  The  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my 
Father."  On  whatever  errand  of  love  they  fly,  they  still  feel  that 
his  eye  of  love  is  on  them  ;  this  is  their  daily,  hourly  joy.  This  is 
the  true  happiness  of  a  believer.  Hear  David  (Psalm  xlii.).  "As 
the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after 
thee,  O  God  :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God  :  when 
shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God  ?"  He  panted  not  after  the 
gifts  of  God,  not  his  favors  or  comforts,  but  after  himself  A 
believer  longs  after  God,  to  come  into  his  presence,  to  feel  his 
love,  to  feel  near  to  him  in  secret,  to  feel  in  the  crowd  that 
he  is  nearer  than  all  the  creatures.  Ah!  dear  brethren,  have 
you  ever  tasted  this  blessedness  ?  There  is  greater  rest  and 
solace  to  be  found  in  the  presence  of  God  for  one  hour  than 
in  an  eternity  of  the  presence  of  man.  To  be  in  his  presence, 
under  his  love,  under  his  eye,  is  heaven  wherever  it  be.  God 
can  make  you  happy  in  any  circumstances.  Without  him  no- 
thing can. 

2.  An  awakened  soul  feels  difficulties  in  the  way. — "  Where- 
with," &c.     There  are  two  great  difficulties. 

\st,  The  nature  of  the  sinner. — "  Wherewith  shall  I,"  &c. 
When  God  really  awakens  a  soul,  he  shows  the  vileness  and 
hatefulness  of  himself.  He  directs  the  eye  within.  He  shows 
liim  that  every  imagination  of  his  heart  has  been  only  evil  con- 
tinually :  that  every  member  of  his  body  he  has  used  in  tho 
service  of  sin ;  that  he  has  treated  Christ  in  a  shameful  man- 


SERMON    XIV.  83 

ner ;  that  he  has  sinned  both  against  law  and  love  ;  that  he 
has  kept  the  door  of  his  heart  barred  against  the  Lord  Jesus,  till 
his  head  was  filled  with  dew,  and  his  locks  with  the  drops  of 
the  night.  O  brethren,  if  God  has  ever  discovered  yourself  to  you, 
you  would  wonder  that  such  a  lump  of  hell  and  sin  should  have 
been  permitted  to  breathe  so  long  ;  that  God  should  have  had 
patience  with  you  till  this  day.  Your  cry  will  be,  "  Wherewith 
shall  I  come  before  the  Lord  ?"  Though  all  the  world  should 
come  before  him,  how  can  1  ? 

2d,  The  nature  of  God.—"  The  high  God."  When  God  really 
awakens  a  soul,  he  generally  reveals  to  him  something  of  his  own 
holiness  and  majesty.  Thus  he  dealt  with  Isaiah  (vi.),  "  I  saw 
the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train 
filled  the  temple.  Above  it  stood  the  seraphim  ;  one  cried  to 
another,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  whole  earth  is 
filled  with  his  glory.  Then  said  I,  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am  undone." 
When  Isaiah  saw  that  God  was  so  great  a  God,  and  so  holy, 
he  felt  himself  undone.  He  felt  that  he  could  not  stand  in  the  pre- 
sence of  so  great  a  God.  O  brethren  !  have  you  ever  had  a  disco- 
very of  the  highness  and  holiness  of  God,  so  as  to  lay  you  low  at 
his  feet  ?  O  pray  for  such  a  discovery  of  God  as  Job  had,  "  I 
have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now  mine 
eye  seeth  thee,  whereibre  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes."  Alas  !  I  fear  that  most  of  you  will  never  know 
that  God  with  whom  you  have  to  do,  till  you  stand  guilty  and 
speechless  before  his  great  white  throne.  O  that  you  would 
pray  for  a  discovery  of  him  now,  that  you  may  cry,  "  Where- 
with shall  1  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself  before  the 
high  God  I" 

3d,  The  anxiety  of  the  awakened  soul  leads  to  the  question, 
"  Wherewith  ?"  Ah  !  it  is  a  piercing  question.  It  is  the  ques- 
tion of  one  who  has  been  made  to  feel  that  "  one  thing  is 
needful."  Anything  he  has  he  would  give  up  to  get  peace  with 
God.  If  he  had  a  thousand  rams,  or  ten  thousand  rivers  of 
oil,  he  would  gladly  give  them.  If  the  life  of  his  children,  the 
dearest  objects  on  this  earth,  would  attain  it,  he  would  give 
them  up.  If  he  had  a  thousand  worlds,  he  would  give  all 
for  an  interest  in  Christ.  Woe  to  you  that  are  at  ease  in 
Zion.  Woe  to  those  of  you  that  never  asked  this  question. 
Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord  ?  Ah  !  foolish  triflers 
with  eternal  things  !  Poor  butterflies,  that  flutter  on  from  flower 
to  flower,  and  consider  not  the  dark  eternity  that  is  before  you  ! 
Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O  Israel  !  Ye  are  hastening  on  to 
death  and  judgment,  yet  never  ask,  What  garment  shall  cover 
me  when  I  stand  before  the  great  white  throne  ?  If  yon  were 
going  to  appear  before  an  earthly  monarch,  you  would  ask  before- 
hand. Wherewith  shall  I  be  attired  ?  If  you  were  to  be  tried  at 
an  earthly  bar,  you  would  make  sure  of  an  advocate.    How  is  it 


84  SERMON    XIV. 

you  press  on  so  swiftly  to  the  bar  of  God,  and  never  ask  the 
question,  Wherewith  shall  I  appear?  *•  If  the  righteous  scarcely 
are  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?" 

II.  The  answer  of  peace  to  the  awakened  soul. — "  He  hath 
showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good."  Nothing  that  man  can  bring 
with  him  will  justify  him  before  God.  The  natural  heart  is 
always  striving  to  bring  something  to  be  a  robe  of  righteous- 
ness before  God.  There  is  nothing  a  man  would  not  do,  no-, 
thing  he  w^ould  not  suffer,  if  he  might  only  cover  himself  before 
God.  Tears,  prayers,  duties,  reformations,  devotions — the  heart 
will  do  anything  to  be  righteous  before  God.  But  all  this  right- 
eousness is  filthy  rags.     For, 

1.  The  heart  remains  an  awful  depth  of  corruption.  Every- 
thing in  which  that  heart  has  any  share  is  polluted  and  vile. 
These  very  tears  and  prayers  would  need  to  be  washed. 

2.  Supposing  this  righteousness  perfect,  it  cannot  cover  the 
past.  It  answers  only  for  the  time  in  which  it  was  done.  Old 
sins,  and  the  sins  of  youth,  still  remain  uncovered. 

Oh  !  dear  brethren,  if  .Tesus  is  to  justify  you,  he  must  do  as  he 
did  to  Joshua  (Zech.  iii.,  4),  "  Take  away  the  filthy  garments 
from  him  ;"  and,  "  I  will  clothe  thee  with  change  of  raiment." 
The  hand  of  Jesus  alone  can  take  off  your  filthy  garments. 
The  hand  of  Jesus  alone  can  clothe  you  with  change  of  raiment. 

Christ  is  the  good  way. — "  He  hath  showed  thee,"  &c.  "  Stand 
ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths  where  is  the 
good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls." 
Christ  is  the  good  way  to  the  Father.  1.  Because  he  is  so  suit- 
able. He  just  answers  the  case  of  the  sinner ;  for  every  sin  of 
the  sinner  he  has  a  wound,  for  every  nakedness  he  has  a  cover- 
ing, for  every  emptiness  he  has  a  supply.  There  is  no  fear  but 
he  will  receive  the  sinner,  for  he  came  into  the  world  on  purpose 
to  save  sinners.  There  is  no  fear  but  the  Father  will  be  well 
pleased  with  us  in  him,  for  the  Father  sent  him,  laid  our  iniquity 
upon  him,  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  points  you  to  him.  "  He 
hath  showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good."  2.  He  is  so  free. — 
"  As  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by 
the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  As  far  as 
the  curse  by  Adam  extends,  so  far  does  the  offer  of  pardon  by 
Jesus  extend.  Here  is  good  news  to  the  vilest  of  men.  You  may  be 
covered  just  as  completely  and  as  freely  as  those  that  have  never 
sinned  as  you  have  done.  "  He  hath  showed  thee,  O  man,  what 
is  good."  3.  He  is  so  God-glorifying. — All  other  ways  of  salva- 
tion are  man-glorifying,  but  this  way  is  God-glorifying  ;  therefore, 
it  is  good.  That  way  is  good  and  best  which  gives  the  glory  to 
the  Lamb.  The  way  of  righteousness  by  Jesus  is  good,  on  this 
account,  that  Jesus  gets  all  the  praise.  To  him  be  glory.  It  is 
of  faith  that  it  might  be  by  grace.     If  a  man  could  justify  him- 


SERMON    XIV.  85 

self,  or  if  he  could  believe  of  himself  and  draw  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  over  his  soul,  that  man  would  glory.  But  when  a  man 
lies  dead  at  the  foot  of  Jesus,  and  Jesus  spreads  his  white  robe 
over  him,  out  of  free  sovereign  mercy,  then  Jesus  gets  all  the 
praise. 

Have  you  chosen  the  good  way  of  being  justified  ?  This  is 
the  way  which  God  has  been  showing  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  He  showed  it  in  Abel's  lamb,  and  in  all  the  sacrifices,  and 
by  all  the  prophets.  He  shows  it  by  his  spirit  to  the  heart.  Has 
this  good  way  been  revealed  to  you?  If  it  has,  you  will  count 
all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  it. 
Oh,  sweet,  divine  way  of  justifying  a  sinner  I  Oh,  that  all  the 
world  but  knew  it  !  Oh,  that  we  saw  more  of  it !  Oh,  that  you 
could  make  use  of  it !  '*  Walk  therein  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto 
your  souls." 

III.  God's  requirement  of  the  justified. — When  Jesus  healed  the 
impotent  man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  he  said  to  him,  "Behold 
thou  art  made  whole,  sin  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  happen 
unto  thee."  And  again,  when  he  covered  the  sin  of  the  adul- 
teress, John  viii.,  he  said,  "  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee,  go  and  sin 
no  more."  So  here,  when  he  shows  the  good  way  of  righteous- 
ness, he  adds,  "  And  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee  ?" 

1.  God  requires  his  redeemed  ones  to  be  holy. — If  you  are  his 
brethren,  he  will  have  you  righteous,  holy  men. 

Is^,  He  requires  that  you  do  justly,  to  be  just  in  your  dealings 
between  man  and  man.  This  is  one  of  his  own  glorious  features. 
He  is  u  just  God.  "  Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?" 
"  He  is  my  rock,  and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him."  Are 
you  come  to  him  by  Jesus  ?  he  requires  you  to  reflect  his  image. 
Are  you  his  child  ?  you  must  be  like  him.  O  brethren,  be  exact 
in  your  dealings.  Be  like  your  God.  Take  care  of  dishonesty; 
take  care  of  trickery  in  business.  Take  care  of  crying  up  your 
goods  when  selling  them,  and  crying  them  down  when  buying  them. 
"It  is  naught,  it  is  naught,  sayeth  the  buyer,  but  when  he  is  gone 
his  way  he  boasteth."  It  shall  not  be  so  among  you.  God  re- 
quires you  to  do  justly. 

2d,  He  requires  you  to  love  mercy.  This  is  the  brightest  fea- 
ture in  the  character  of  Christ.  If  you  are  in  Christ,  drink  deep 
of  his  spirit ;  God  requires  you  to  be  merciful.  The  world  is  self- 
ish, unmerciful.  An  unconverted  mother  has  no  mercy  on  the 
soul  of  her  own  child.  She  can  see  it  dropping  into  hell  without 
mercy.  O  the  hellish  cruelty  of  unconverted  men.  It  shall  not 
be  so  with  you.     Be  merciful,  as  your  father  in  heaven  is  merciful. 

3d,  He  requires  you  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God.  Christ 
says,  "  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart."  If  God 
has  covered  all  your  black  sins,  rebellions,  backslidings,  out- 
breakings,  then  never  open  your  mouth  except  in  humble  praise. 


86  SERMON    XV. 

God  requires  this  at  your  hand.     Walk  with  God,  and  walk  hum- 
bly. 

2.  Remember  this  is  God's  end  in  justifying  you. — He  loved  the 
Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse 
it.  This  was  his  great  end,  to  raise  up  a  pecular  people  to  serve 
him,  and  bear  his  likeness,  in  this  world  and  in  eternity.  For  this 
he  left  heaven ;  for  this  he  groaned,  bled,  died,  to  make  you  holy. 
If  you  are  not  made  holy,  Christ  died  in  vain  for  you. 

3.  Whatever  he  requires,  he  gives  grace  to  perform. — Christ  is 
not  only  good  as  our  way  to  the  Father,  but  he  is  our  fountain  of 
living  waters.  Be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
There  is  enough  in  Christ  to  supply  the  need  of  all  his  people. 
An  old  minister  says,  a  child  can  carry  little  water  from  the  sea 
in  its  two  hands,  and  so  it  is  little  we  get  out  of  Christ.  There 
are  unsearchable  riches  in  him. 

Be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  him.  Live  out  of  yourself, 
and  live  upon  him.  Go  and  tell  him,  that  since  he  requires  all 
this  of  thee,  he  must  give  thee  grace  according  to  your  need. 
My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need  according  to  his  riches  in  glory 
by  Christ  Jesus.  He  hath  showed  you  one  that  is  good,  even  the 
fair  Immanuel ;  now  lean  upon  him,  get  life  from  him  that  shall 
never  die,  get  living  water  from  him  that  shall  never  dry  up.  Let 
his  hand  hold  you  up  amid  the  billows  of  this  tempestuous  sea; 
let  his  shoulder  carry  you  over  the  thorns  of  this  wilderness.  Look 
as  much  to  him  for  sanctification  as  for  justification. 

So  will  your  walk  be  close  with  God, 

Calm  and  serene  your  frame  ; 
So  purer  light  shall  mark  the  road 

That  leads  you  to  the  Lamb. 


SERMON  XV. 

"  For  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ;  but  I  see  another  law  in 
my  members  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity 
to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  members.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  So  then  with  the  mind  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the 
flesh  the  law  of  sin."— Rom.  vii., 22-25. 

A  BELIEVER  is  to  bc  known,  not  only  by  his  peace  and  joy,  but 
by  his  warfare  and  distress.  His  peace  is  peculiar:  it  flows 
from  Christ ;  it  is  heavenly,  it  is  holy  peace.  His  warfare  is  as 
peculiar ;  it  is  deep-seated,  agonizing,  and  ceases  not  till  death. 
If  the  Lord  will,  many  of  us  have  the  prospect  of  sitting  down 
next  Sabbath  at  the  Lord's  Table.  The  great  question  to  be  an- 
swered before  sitting  down  there  is,  Have  I  fled  to  Christ  or  no  ? 


SERMON    XV.  87 

'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know. 

Oft  it  causes  anxious  thought, 
Do  I  love  the  Lord  or  no  ? 

Am  I  his,  or  am  I  not  ? 

To  help  you  to  settle  this  question,  I  have  chosen  the  subject  of 
the  Christian's  warfare,  thp.t  you  may  know  thereby  whether  you 
are  a  soldier  of  Christ — whether  you  are  really  fighting  the  good 
fight  of  faith. 

I.  A  heliever  delights  in  the  law  of  God. — Verse  22,  "I  delight 
in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man." 

1.  Before  a  man  comes  to  Christ,  he  hates  the  law  of  God,  his 
whole  soul  rises  up  against  it ;  viii.  7, "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmi- 
ty," &c.  (1.)  Unconverted  men  hate  the  law  of  God  on  account 
of  its  purity :  '' Thy  word  is  very  pare,  therefore  thy  servant 
loveth  it."  For  the  same  reason  worldly  men  hate  it.  The  law  is 
the  breathing  of  God's  pure  and  holy  mind.  It  is  infinitely  op- 
posed to  all  impurity  and  sin.  Every  line  of  the  law  is  against 
sin.  But  natural  men  love  sin,  and  therefore  they  hate  the  law, 
because  it  opposes  them  in  all  they  love.  As  bats  hate  the  light, 
and  fly  against  it,  so  unconverted  men  hate  the  pure  light  of  God's 
law,  and  fly  against  it.  (2.)  They  hate  it  for  its  breadth.  "  Thy 
commandment  is  exceeding  broad."  It  extends  to  all  their  out- 
ward actions,  seen  and  unseen ;  it  extends  to  every  idle  word  that 
men  shall  speak  ;  it  extends  to  the  looks  of  their  eye  ;  it  dives 
into  the  deepest  caves  of  their  heart ;  it  condemns  the  most  secret 
springs  of  sin  and  lust  that  nestle  there.  Unconverted  men  quar- 
rel With  the  law  of  God  because  of  its  strictness.  If  it  extended 
only  to  my  outward  actions,  then  I  could  bear  with  it ;  but  it  con- 
demns my  most  secret  thoughts  and  desires,  which  I  cannot  pre- 
vent. Therefore  ungodly  men  rise  against  the  law.  (3.)  They 
hate  it  for  its  unchangeahleness.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away,  but  one  jot  or  one  tittle  of  the  law  shall  in  nowise  pass 
away.  If  ths  law  would  change,  or  let  down  its  requirements,  or 
die,  then  ungodly  men  would  be  well  pleased.  But  it  is  unchange- 
able as  God :  it  is  written  on  the  heart  of  God,  with  whom  is  no 
variableness  nor  shadow  of  turn'ng.  It  cannot  change  unless  God 
change  ;  it  cannot  die  unless  God  die.  Even  in  an  eternal  hell  its 
demands  and  its  curses  will  be  the  same.  It  is  an  unchangeable 
law,  for  He  is  an  unchangeable  God.  Therefore  ungodly  men 
have  unchangeable  hatred  to  that  holy  law. 

2.  When  a  man  comes  to  Christ,  this  is  all  changed..  He  can 
say, "  1  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man."  He 
can  say  with  David,  "O  how  I  love  thy  law  :  it  is  my  meditation 
all  the  day."  He  can  say  with  Jesus,  in  the  40th  Psalm,  "  I 
delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God;  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my 
heart." 

There  are  two  reasons  for  this : — 


88  SERMON    XV. 

1st,  The  law  is  no  longer  an  enemy. — If  any  of  you  who  are 
trembling  under  a  sense  of  your  infinite  sins,  and  the  curses  of  the 
law  which  you  have  broken,  flee  to  Christ,  you  will  find  rest.  You 
will  find  that  he  has  fully  answered  the  deniands  of  the  law  as  a 
surety  for  sinners — that  he  has  fully  borne  all  its  curses.  You 
will  be  able  to  say,  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  me  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  me,  as  it  is  written, '  Cursed,' "  &c. 
You  have  no  more  to  fear,  then,  from  that  awfully  holy  law :  you 
are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace.  You  have  no  more  to 
fear  from  the  law  than  you  will  have  after  the  Judgment  Day. 
Imagine  a  saved  soul  after  the  Judgment  Day.  When  that  awful 
scene  is  past ;  when  the  dead,  small  and  great,  have  stood  before 
that  great  white  throne ;  when  the  sentence  of  eternal  woe  has 
fallen  upon  all  the  unconverted,  and  they  have  sunk  into  the  lake 
whose  fires  can  never  be  quenched  ;  would  not  that  redeemed 
soul  say,  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from  that  holy  law  ;  I  have  seen 
its  vials  poured  out,  but  not  a  drop  has  fallen  on  me  ?  So  may 
you  say  now,  O  believer  in  Jesus.  When  you  look  upon  the  soul 
of  Christ,  scarred  with  God's  thunderbolts  ;  when  you  look  upon 
his  body,  pierced  for  sin,  you  can  say,  He  was  made  a  curse  for 
me  ;  why  should  I  fear  that  holy  law  ? 

2d,  The  Spirit  of  God  ivrites  the  law  on  the  heart. — This  is  the 
promise  ( Jer.  xxxi.,  33),  "  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will 
put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and 
will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people."  Coming  to  Christ 
takes  away  your  fear  of  the  law,  but  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  coming 
into  your  heart  that  makes  you  love  the  law.  The  Holy  Spirit  is 
no  more  frightened  away  from  that  heart ;  he  comes  and  softens 
it ;  he  takes  out  the  stony  heart  and  puts  in  a  heart  of  flesh  ;  ar\d 
there  he  writes  the  holy,  holy,  holy  law  of  God.  Then  the  law 
of  God  is  sweet  to  that  soul ;  he  has  an  inward  delight  in  it.  "  The 
law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good." 
Now  he  unfeignedly  desires  every  thought,  word  and  action,  to  be 
according  to  that  law.  "  O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep 
thy  statutes  :  great  peace  have  they  that  love  thy  law,  and  nothing 
shall  oflend  them."  The  119th  Psalm  becomes  the  breathing  of 
that  new  heart.  Now  also  he  would  fain  see  all  the  world  sub- 
mitting to  that  pure  and  holy  law.  "  Rivers  of  waters  run  down 
mine  eyes  because  they  keep  not  thy  law."  O  that  all  the  world 
but  knew  that  holiness  and  happiness  are  one  !  O  that  all  the 
world  were  one  holy  family,  joyfully  coming  under  the  pure  rules 
of  the  Gospel!  Try  yourselves  by  this.  Can  you  say,  "I  de- 
light," &c.  ?  Do  you  remember  when  you  hated  the  law  of  God  ? 
Do  you  love  it  now?  Do  you  long  for  the  time  when  you  shall 
five  fully  under  it — holy  as  God  is  holy,  pure  as  Christ  is  pure? 

O  come,  sinners,  and  give  up  your  hearts  to  Christ,  that  he  may 
write  on  it  his  holy  law  !  You  have  long  enough  had  the  devil's 
law  graven  on  your  hearts ;  come  you  to  J  esus,  and  he  will  both 


SERMON    XV.  89 

shelter  you  from  the  curses  of  the  law,  and  he  will  give  you  the 
Spirit  to  write  all  that  law  in  your  heart ;  he  will  make  you  love 
it  with  your  inmost  soul.  Plead  the  promise  with  him.  Surely 
you  have  tried  the  pleasures  of  sin  long  enough.  Come  now,  and 
try  the  pleasures  of  holiness  out  of  a  new  heart. 

If  you  die  with  your  heart  as  it  is.  it  will  be  stamped  a  wicked 
heart  to  all  eternity.  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still  ; 
and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still,"  Rev.  xxii.,  11.  O  come 
and  get  the  new  heart  before  you  die ;  for  except  you  be  born 
again  you  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God  ! 

II.  A  true  believer  feels  an  opposing  law  in  his  members. — ■ 
Verse  23,  "  I  see  another  law,"  &c.  When  a  sinner  comes  first 
to  Christ,  he  often  thinks  he  will  now  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to 
sin  :  now  I  shall  never  sin  any  more.  He  feels  already  at  the  gate 
of  heaven.  A  little  breath  of  temptation  soon  discovers  his  heart, 
and  he  cries  out,  "  /  see  another  laio.'^ 

1.  Observe  what  he  calls  it,  "  another  law ;"  quite  a  different 
law  from  the  law  of  God,  a  law  clean  contrary  to  it.  Verse  25, 
he  calls  it  a  "  law  of  sin" — a  law  that  commands  him  to  commit  sin 
— that  urges  him  on  by  rewards  and  threatenings  :  viii.,  2,  "  A  law 
of  sin  and  death" — a  law  which  not  only  leads  to  sin,  but  leads  to 
death,  eternal  death  :  "the  wages  of  sin  is  death."  It  is  the  same 
law  which  in  Galatians  is  called  "  the  flesh."  Gal.  v.,  17,  "  The 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,"  &c.  It  is  the  same  which,  in 
Eph.  iv.,  22,  is  called  " the  old  man"  which  is  wrought  according 
to  the  deceitful  lusts.  The  same  law  which,  in  Col.  iii.,  is  called 
*'"y our  members" — "  mortify,  therefore,  your  members,  which  are," 
&.C.  The  same  which  is  called  (v.  24)  "  a  body  of  death."  The 
truth  then  is,  that  in  the  heart  of  the  believer  there  remains  the 
whole  members  and  body  of  an  old  man,  or  old  nature  :  there 
remains  the  fountain  of  every  sin  that  has  ever  polluted  the 
world. 

2.  Observe  again  what  his  law  is  doing — "  warring."  This 
law  in  the  members  is  not  resting  quiet,  but  warring — always 
fighting.  There  never  can  be  peace  in  the  bosom  of  a  believer. 
There  is  peace  with  God,  but  constant  war  with  sin.  This  law 
in  the  members  has  got  an  army  of  lusts  under  him,  and  he  wages 
constant  war  against  the  law  of  God.  Sometimes,  indeed,  an 
army  are  lying  in  ambush,  and  they  lie  quiet  till  a  favorable  mo- 
ment comes.  So  in  the  heart  the  lusts  often  lie  quiet  till  the  hour 
of  temptation,  and  they  war  against  the  soul.  The  heart  is  like 
a  volcano;  sometimes  it  slumbers,  and  sends  up  nothing  but  a 
little  smoke  ;  but  the  fire  is  slumbering  all  the  while  below,  and 
will  soon  break  out  again.  There  are  two  great  combatants  in  the 
believer's  soul.  There  is  Satan  on  the  one  side,  with  the  flesh  and 
all  its  lusts  at  his  command  ;  then,  on  the  other  side,  there  is  the 
Holy  Spirit,  with  the  new  creature  all  at  his  command.     And  so 


90  SERMON   XV. 

"  tlic  flesh'lusteth  against  iho  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh  ; 
and  these  two  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot 
do  the  things  that  ye  would." 

Is  Satan  ever  successful  ?  In  the  deep  wisdom  of  God  the  law 
in  the  members  does  sometimes  bring  the  soul  into  captivity. 
Noah  was  a  perfect  man,  and  Noah  walked  with  God,  and  yet  he 
was  led  captive.  "  Noah  drank  of  the  wine,  and  was  drunken." 
Abraham  was  "  the  friend  of  God,"  and  yet  he  told  a  lie,  saying 
of  Sarah  his  wife,  "  She  is  my  sister."  Job  was  a  perfect  man, 
one  that  feared  God  and  hated  evil,  and  yet  he  was  provoked  to 
curse  the  day  wherein  he  was  born.  And  so  with  Moses,  and 
David,  and  Solomon,  and  Hczekiah,  and  Peter  and  the  Apostles. 

1.  Have  you  experienced  this  warfare  ?  It  is  a  clear  mark  of 
God's  children.  Most  of  you,  I  fear,  have  never  felt  it.  Do  not 
mistake  me.  All  of  you  have  felt  a  warfare  at  times  between 
your  natural  conscience  and  the  law  of  God.  But  that  is  not  the 
contest  in  the  believer's  bosom.  It  is  a  warfare  between  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  ib.e  heart,  and  the  old  nian  with  his  deeds. 

2.  If  any  of  you  are  groaning  under  this  warfaie,  learn  to  be 
humbled  by  it,  but  not  discouraged. 

1st,  Be  humbled  under  it. — It  is  intended  to  make  you  lie  in  the 
dust,  and  feel  that  you  are  but  a  worm.  Oh  !  what  a  vile  wretch 
you  mu^t  be,  that  even  after  you  are  forgiven,  and  have  received 
the  Holy  Spirit,  your  heart  should  still  be  a  fountain  of  every 
wickedness  I  How  vile,  that  in  your  most  solenm  approaches  to 
God — in  the  house  of  God — in  awi'ully  affecting  situations,  such  as 
kneeling  beside  the  death  bed,  you  should  still  have  in  your 
bosom  all  the  members  of  your  old  nature.  Let  this  make  you 
lie  low. 

2d,  Let  tins  teach  you  your  need  of  Jesus. — You  need  the  blood 
of  Jesus  as  much  as  at  the  first.  You  never  can  stand  before  God 
in  youiself  You  must  go  again  and  again  to  be  washed  ;  even 
on  yjur  dying  bed  you  must  hide  under  Jehovah,  our  righteous- 
ness. You  must  also  lean  upon  Jesus.  He  alone  can  overcome 
in  you.     Keep  nearer  and  nearer  every  day. 

3d,  Be  not  discouraged. — Jesus  is  willing  to  be  a  Saviour  to 
such  as  you  He  is  able  to  save  you  to  the  uttermost.  Do  you 
think  your  case  is  too  bad  for  Christ  to  save  1  Every  one  whom 
Christ  saves  had  just  such  a  heart  as  you.  Fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith  ;  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  Take  up  the  resoluiion^of 
Edwartls,  "Never  to  give  over,  nor  in  the  least  to  slacken,  my 
fight  with  my  corruptions,  however  unsuccessful  I  may  be." 
"  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar,"  &c. 

III.   The  feelings  of  a  believer  during  this  warfare. 

1.  He  feels  wretched. — Verse  24th,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I 
am  !"  There  is  nobody  in  this  world  so  happy  as  a  believer.  He 
has  come  to  Jesus,  and  found  rest.     He  has  the  pardon  of  all  his 


SERMON  xy.  91 

sins  in  Christ.  He  has  near  approach  to  God  as  a  child.  He  has 
the  Holy  Spirit  dwelling  in  him.  He  has  the  hope  of  glory.  In 
the  most  awful  times  he  can  be  calm,  for  he  feels  that  God  is  with 
him.  Still  there  are  times  when  he  cries,  O  wretched  man  ! 
When  he  feels  the  plague  of  his  own  heart,  when  he  feels  the 
thorn  in  the  flesh,  when  his  wicked  heart  is  discovered  in  all  its 
fearful  malignity,  Ah,  then  he  lies  down,  crying,  O  w-rctchcd  man 
that  I  am  !  One  reason  of  this  wretchedness  is,  that  sin  discover- 
ed in  the  heart  takes  away  the  sense  of  forgiveness.  Guilt  comes 
upon  the  conscience,  and  a  dark  cloud  covers  the  soul.  How  can 
I  ever  go  back  to  Christ  ?  he  cries.  Alas  I  I  have  sinned  away 
my  Saviour.  Another  reason  is,  the  loathsomeness  of  sin.  It  is 
felt  like  a  viper  in  the  heart.  A  natural  man  is  often  miserable 
from  his  sin,  but  he  never  feels  its  loathsomeness  ;  but  to  the  new 
creature  it  is  vile  indeed.  Ah  !  brethren,  do  you  know  anything 
of  a  believer's  wretchedness  ?  If  you  do  not,  you  will  never 
know  his  joy.  If  you  know  not  a  believer's  tears  and  groans,  you 
will  never  know  his  song  of  victory. 

2.  He  seeks  deliverance. — "  Who  shall  deliver  me  V  In  ancient 
times,  some  of  the  tyrants  used  to  chain  their  prisoners  to  a  dead 
body  ;  so  that,  M'herever  the  prisoner  wandered,  he  had  to  drag  a 
putrid  carcass  after  him.  It  is  believed  that  Paul  here  alludes  to 
this  inhuman  practice.  His  old  man  he  felt  a  noisome,  putrid 
carcass,  which  he  was  continually  dragging  about  with  him.  His 
piercing  desire  is  to  be  freed  I'rom  it.  Who  shall  deliver  us  ? 
You  remember  once,  when  God  allowed  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  to 
torment  his  servant — a  messenger  of  Satan  to  bufiet  him — Paul 
was  driven  to  his  knees.  "  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
might  depart  from  me,"  O  this  is  the  true  mark  of  God's  children  I 
The  world  have  an  old  nature ;  they  arc  all  old  men  together. 
But  it  does  not  drive  them  to  their  knees.  How  is  it  with  you, 
dear  souls  ?  Does  corruption  felt  within  drive  you  to  the  throne 
of  grace  ?  Does  it  make  you  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  ? 
Does  it  make  you  like  the  importunate  widow,  "  Avenge  me  of 
mine  adversary  ?  Does  it  make  you  like  the  man  coming  at  mid- 
night for  three  loaves  1  Does  it  make  you  like  the  Canaanitish 
woman,  crying  after  Jesus  ?  Ah,  remember,  if  lust  can  work  in 
your  heart,  and  you  lie  down  contented  with  it,  you  are  none  of 
Christ's ! 

3.  He  gives  thanks  for  victory. — Truly  we  are  more  than  con- 
querors through  him  that  loved  us ;  for  we  can  give  thanks  before 
the  fight  is  done.  Yes,  even  in  the  thickest  of  the  battle  we  can 
look  up  to  Jesus,  and  cry,  Thanks  to  God.  The  moment  a  soul, 
groaning  under  corruption,  rests  the  eye  on  Jesus,  that  moment 
his  groans  are  changed  into  songs  of  praise.  In  Jesus  you  dis- 
cover a  fountain  to  wash  away  the  guilt  of  all  your  sin.  In  Jesus 
you  discover  grace  sufficient  for  you,  grace  to  hold  you  up  to  the 
end,  and  a  sure  promise  that  sin  shall  soon  be  rooted  out  alto- 


92  SERMON    XVI. 

gethcr.  "  Fear  not,  I  have  redeemed  thee.  I  have  called  thee 
by  my  name ;  thou  art  mine."  Ah,  this  turns  our  groans  into 
songs  of  praise  !  How  often  a  psalm  begins  with  groans,  and  ends 
with  praises  !  Tliis  is  the  daily  experience  of  all  the  Lord's 
people.  Is  it  yours  ?  Try  yourselves  by  this.  O  if  you  know 
not  the  believer's  songs  of  praise,  you  will  never  cast  your  crowns 
with  them  at  the  feet  of  Jesus !  Dear  believers,  be  content  to 
glory  in  your  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon 
you.     Glory,  glory,  glory  to  the  Lamb  ! 


SERMON  XVL 

THE    BROKEN    HEART. 

♦•  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  0  Go*, 
thou  wilt  not  despise." — Psalm  li.,  17. 

No  psalm  expresses  more  fully  the  experience  of  a  penitent  believ- 
ing soul : — 1st,  His  humbling  confession  of  sin,  verses  3,  4, 5  ;  2d, 
His  intense  desire  for  pardon  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  v.  7 ; 
3d,  His  longing  after  a  clean  heart,  v.  10  ;  4th,  His  desire  to 
render  something  to  God  for  all  his  benefits.  L  He  says,  I  will 
teach  transgressors  thy  ways ;  2.  My  lips  shall  show  Ibrth  thy 
praise  ;  3.  He  will  give  a  broken  heart,  verses  16,  17.  Just  as, 
long  ago,  they  used  to  offer  slain  lambs  in  token  of  thanksgiving, 
so  he  says  he  will  offer  up  to  God  a  slain  and  broken  heart. 
Every  one  of  you,  who  has  found  the  same  forgiveness,  should 
come  to  the  same  resolution — offer  up  to  God  this  day  a  broken 
heart. 

L   The  nattiral  heart  is  sound  and  unbroken. 

The  law,  the  gospel,  mercies,  afflictions,  death,  do  not  break  the 
natural  heart.  It  is  harder  than  stone  ;  there  is  nothing  in  the 
universe  so  hard.  Isniah  xlvi.,  12,  "  Ye  stout-hearted,  that  are 
far  from  righteousness."  Zech.  i.,  11,  "  We  have  walked  to  and 
fro  through  the  earth,  and  behold  all  the  earth  sitteth  still,  and  is  at 
rest."  Zeph.  i.,  12,  "I  will  search  Jerusalem  with  candles,  and 
punish  the  men  that  are  settled  on  their  lees."  Jer.  v„  3,  "  They 
have  made  their  faces  harder  than  a  rock."  Isaiah  xxxii.,  10, 
"  Careless  women;"  verse  11,  "women that  are  at  ease." 

Why? — 1st,  The  veil  is  upon  their  hearts.  They  do  not 
believe  the  Bible,  the  strictness  of  the  law,  the  wrath  to  come — the 
face  of  a  covering  is  over  their  eyes.  2d,  Satan  has  possession. 
Satan  carries  the  seed  away.  3^,  Dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 
The  dead  hear  not,  feel  not ;  they  are  past  feeling.     Ath,  They 


SERMON    XVI,  ,  93 

build  a  wall  of  untempered  mortar.    They  hope  for  safety  in  some 
refuge  of  lies — that  they  pray,  or  give  alms. 

Pray  God  to  keep  away  from  you  the  curse  of  a  dead,  unbroken 
heart.  Is^  Because  it  will  not  last  long — you  are  standing  on 
slippery  places — the  waves  are  below  your  feet.  26?.  Because 
Christ  will  laugh  at  your  calamity.  If  you  were  now  concerned, 
there  is  hope.  Ministers  and  Christians  are  ready,  Christ  is  ready; 
but  afterwards  he  will  laugh. 

II.  The  awakened  heart  is  wounded,  not  broken. 

1.  The  law  makes  the  first  wound. — When  God  is  going  to  save 
a  soul,  he  brings  the  soul  to  reflect  on  his  sins.  "  Cursed  is  every 
one,"  &c.  "  Whatsoever  things  the  law  saith,"  &c.  "  I  was 
alive  without  the  law  once,"  &c.  Life  and  heart  appear  in  awful 
colors. 

2.  The  majesty  of  God  makes  the  next  wound. — The  sinner  is 
made  sensible  of  the  great  and  holy  being  against  whom  he  has 
sinned.     "  Against  thee"  Psa.  li.,  4. 

3.  The  third  wound  is  from  his  own  helplessness  to  7nake  himself 
better. — Still  the  heart  is  not  broken  ;  the  heart  rises  against  God. 
1st,  Because  of  the  strictness  of  the  law  ;  2d,  Because  faith  is 
the  only  way  of  salvation,  and  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  3c?,  Because 
God  is  Sovereign,  and  may  save  or  not,  as  he  will.  This  shows 
the  unbroken  heart.     There  is  no  more  miserable  state  than  this. 

Learn. — It  is  one  thing  to  be  awakened,  and  another  thing  to  be 
saved.     Do  not  rest  in  convictions. 

III.  The  believing  heart  is  a  broken  heart  two  ways. 

1.  It  is  broken  from  its  own  righteousness. — When  the  Holy 
Spirit  leads  a  man  to  the  Cross,  his  heart  there  breaks  from  seek- 
ing salvation  by  his  own  righteousness.  All  his  burden  of  per- 
formances and  contrivances  drops.  \st,  The  work  of  Christ 
appears  so  perfect — the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God — '• 
divine  righteousness.  "  I  wondei"  that  I  should  ever  think  of  any 
other  way  of  salvation.  If  I  could  have  been  saved  by  my  own 
duties,  my  whole  soul  would  now  have  refused  it.  I  wonder  that 
all  the  world  did  not  see  and  comply  with  this  way  of  salvation  by 
the  righteousness  of  Christ." — (^ramarc?,  p.  319.)  2c?,  The  grace 
of  Christ  appears  so  wonderful.  That  all  this  righteousness 
should  be  free  to  such  a  sinner !  That  I  so  long  neglected, 
despised,  hated  it,  put  mountains  between,  and  yet  that  he  has 
come  over  the  mountains  !  Ezek.  xvi.,  63,  '•  That  thou  mayest 
remember  and  be  confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any 
more  because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for 
all  that  thou  hast  done."  Have  you  this  broken  heart — broken 
within  sight  of  the  Cross  ?  It  is  not  a  look  into  your  ow'n  heart, 
or  the  heart  of  hell,  but  into  the  heart  of  Christ  that  breaks  the 
heart.     Oh,  pray  for  this  broken  heart  I    Boasting  is  excluded 


94  SERMON   XVI. 

To  him  be  glory  !  Worthy  is  the  Lamb !  All  the  struggles  of  a 
self-righteous  soul  are  to  put  the  crown  on  your  own  head  instead 
of  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 

2.  Brohen  from  love  of  sin.  —  When  a  man  believes  on 
Christ,  he  then  sees  sin  to  be  hateful.  1st,  It  separated  between 
him  and  God,  made  the  great  gulf,  and  kindled  the  fires  of  hell. 
2d,  It  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory  ;  weighed  down  his  soul ;  made 
him  sweat,  and  bleed,  and  die.  3d,  It  is  the  plague  of  his  heart 
now.  All  my  unhappiness  is  from  my  being  a  sinner.  Now  he 
mourns  sore  like  a  dove,  that  he  should  sin  against  so  much  love. 
"  Then  shall  ye  remember  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings  where- 
in ye  have  been  defiled,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own 
sight." 

IV.  Advantages  of  a  hi^ohen  heart. 

1.  It  keeps  yon  from  being  offended  at  the  preaching  of  the  Cross. 
— A  natural  heart  is  offended  every  day  at  the  preaching  of  the 
Cross.  Many  of  you,  I  have  no  doubt,  hate  it.  The  preaching 
of  another's  righteousness — that  you  must  have  it  or  perish — 
many,  I  have  no  doubt,  are  often  enraged  at  this  in  their  heaits. 
Many,  I  doubt  not,  have  left  this  church  on  account  of  it,  and 
many  more,  I  doubt  not,  will  follow.  All  the  offence  of  the  Cross 
is  not  ceased.  But  a  broken  heart  cannot  be  offended.  Ministers 
cannot  speak  too  plainly  for  a  broken  heart.  A  broken  heart 
would  sit  for  ever  to  hear  of  the  righteousness  without  works. 

Many  of  you  are  offended  when  we  preach  plainly  against  sin. 
Many  were  offended  last  Sabbath.  But  a  broken  heart  cannot  be 
offended,  for  it  hates  sin  woise  than  ministers  can  make  it.  Many 
are  like  the  worshippers  of  Baal — "  Bring  forth  thy  son  that  he 
may  die,"  Judges  vi.,  30.  But  a  broken  heart  loves  to  see  the 
idol  stamped  U[:on  and  beaten  small. 

2.  A  hrohen  heart  is  at  rest. — The  unconverted  heart  is  like  the 
troubled  sea — "  Who  will  show  us  any  good  ?"  It  is  going  from 
creature  to  creature.  The  awakened  soul  is  not  at  rest ;  sorrows 
of  death,  pains  of  hell,  attend  those  who  are  forgetting  their  rest- 
ing-place. But  the  broken  heart  says,  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  O 
my  soul."  The  righteousness  of  Christ  takes  away  every  fear — 
"  casts  out  fear."  Even  tlie  plague  of  the  heart  cannot  truly  dis- 
turb, for  he  casts  his  burden  on  Jesus. 

3.  Nothing  can  happen  wrong  to  it. — To  the  unconvcited,  how 
dreadful  is  a  sick  bed,  poverty,  death — tossed  like  a  wild  beast  in 
a  net  !  But  a  broken  heart  is  satisfied  with  Christ.  This  is 
enough — he  has  no  ambition  for  more.  Take  away  all,  this  re- 
mains.    He  is  a  weaned  child. 


SERMON    XVIT.  95 


SERMON  XVII. 

"  The  wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb :  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be 
born:  speaking  lies.  Their  poison  is  like  the  poison  of  a  serpent;  they  are 
like  the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  her  ear,  which  will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of 
charmers,  charming  never  so  wisely." — Psalm  Iviii.,  3-5. 

It  lias  been  supposed  by  some  interpreters  that  this  psalm  was 
written  as  a  prophetic  description  of  the  unjust  judges  who  con- 
demned our  Lurd  Jesus  Christ.  1.  It  begins  by  reproving  them 
for  their  unjust  judginent.  Verse  1,  "Do  ye  indeed,"  &.c.  2.  It 
opens  up  the  dark  recesses  of  their  heart  and  history  ;  verse  3, 
*'  The  wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb ;"  &c.  And  3.  It 
shows  their  coming  destruction  ;  verse  10,  "  The  righteous  shall 
rejoice  when  he  seeth  the  vengeance  ;  he  shall  wash  his  feet  in  the 
blood  of  the  wicked,"  However  this  may  be,  they  were  of  the  same 
nature  with  us.  The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  who  condemned  our 
Lord  had  hearts  of  the  same  kind  as  ours,  so  that  wc  may  learn 
this  day  the  awful  depravity  of  the  heart  of  man. 

I.  Original  depravity. — Verse  3,  "  The  wicked  are  estranged 
from  the  womb."  The  expression,  "  from  the  womb,"  occurs  fre- 
quently in  Scripture,  and  means  from  the  very  first  period  of  our 
existence.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  the  wife  of  Manoah, 
Judges  xiii,,  5,  "  The  child  t'hall  be  a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  the 
womb;"  that  is,  from  the  veiy  first  jioint  of  existence.  God  says 
to  Jeremiah  (i.  .5),  "  Before  I  formed  thee  in  the  belly  I  knew 
thee;  and  belbre  thou  comest  forth  out  of  the  womb  1  sanctified 
thee ;  and  ordained  thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations."  Jeremiah 
was  set  apart  as  a  prophet  before  he  was  born.  Paul  says, 
Gal.  i.,  15,  "  But  when  it  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from 
my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son 
in  me.'  Paul  was  set  apart  by  God  for  the  work  of  the  ministry 
from  the  very  first.  So,  in  the  words  before  us,  it  is  declared  that 
from  the  very  first  we  arc  estranged  from  God.  Now,  this 
estrangement  is  twofold. 

1.  Of  the  head. — The  whole  mind  is  estranged  from  God.  "At 
that  time  ye  were  without  God."  The  natural  man  is  ignorant  of 
God  from  the  very  womb.  God  is  a  stranger  to  him,  so  that  he 
docs  not  know  him.  He  has  no  true  discovery  of  God's  infinite 
-purity,  of  his  immutable  justice,  and  of  the  strictness  of  the  law. 

He  does  not  know  the  love  of  God,  nor  how  freely  he  has  provided 
a  Saviour.  He  is  mainly  ignorant  of  God.  Psalm  x,  4,  '•  God  is 
not  in  all  his  thoughts,"  Either  he  does  not  turn  his  mind  upon 
God  at  all,  or  else  he  thinks  him  altogether  such  an  one  as  himself. 
"  There  is  none  that  understandeth."     Psalm  xiv.,  2. 

2.  Of  the  heart. — A  new  born  child  will  naturally  feel  after  its 
mother's  breast :  it  naturally  seeks  the  breast.     But  it  does  not  in 


96  SERMON    XVII. 

the  same  manner  seek  after  God.  "  There  is  none  that  seekcth 
after  God."  From  the  very  first  we  disUke  God.  A  child  soon 
comes  to  reUsh  the  presence  of  its  earthly  parents,  and  of  other 
children.  It  does  not  relish  the  presence  of  God.  The  natural 
tendency  of  the  heart  is  to  go  away  from  God,  and  to  remain  out 
of  his  sight.  A  natural  man  does  not  like  the  presence  of  a  very 
eminent  saint.  If  he  has  full  liberty,  he  will  leave  the  room,  and 
seek  other  company  more  suited  to  his  taste.  This  is  the  very 
way  he  treats  God.  God  is  too  holy  for  him ;  he  is  too  pure,  and, 
therefore,  he  docs  all  he  can  to  leave  his  company.  This  is  the 
reason  you  cannot  get  unconverted  men  to  pray  in  secret.  They 
would  rather  spend  half  an  hour  in  the  tread-mill  every  morning 
than  go  to  meet  God.  This  is  the  true  condition  of  every  one  of 
you  who  is  now  unconverted;  indeed  it  was  the  condition  of  us 
all,  but  some  of  you  have  been  brought  out  of  it.  From  the  time 
you  were  in  the  womb,  till  now,  your  whole  head  and  heart  have 
been  turned  away  from  God.  Gen.  viii.,  21,  "The  imagination 
of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth,"  &c.  Job  xiv.,  4,  "  Who 
can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean,  not  one  ?"  Your  whole 
nature  is  totally  depraved.  You  are  accustomed  to  think  that 
you  have  some  parts  good  ;  that  though  some  part  was  depraved, 
yet  some  part  sick,  the  v/hole  heart  is  faint.  Your  whole  history 
remained  sound ;  but  learn  that  the  whole  head  is  covered  with 
sin.  You  are  accustomed  to  think  that  great  part  of  your  life  has 
been  innocent.  You  admit  that  some  pages  of  your  life  are  stain- 
ed with  crimson  and  scarlet  sins ;  some  pages  you  blush  to  look 
back  upon ;  bat  surely  you  have  some  fair  leaves  also.  Learn 
that  you  are  "estranged  from  the  womb."  Every  moment  you 
have  spent  without  God,  and  turning  away  from  God  ;  every  page 
has  got  this  written  at  the  top  of  it,  This  day  God  was  not  in  all 
his  thoughts,  he  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  his  knowledge. 
Genesis  vi.,  5,  "Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
was  only  evil  continually." 

II.  Actual  sin ;  "  They  go  astray"  ^c. — There  are  two  paths 
from  which  every  natural  man  goes  astray  as  soon  as  born. 

1.  The  way  of  God's  commandments. — This  is  the  pure  way  of 
light  in  which  holy  angels  walk.  They  do  his  commandments, 
hearkening  to  the  voice  of  his  word,  Ps.  ciii.  It  is  a  pure  way,- 
having  ten  paths  in  which  the  feet  of  the  upright  love  to  go. 
"  Blessed  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way,  who  walk  in  the  law  of. 
the  Lord."  "  Make  me  to  go  in  the  path  of  thy  commandments  : 
for  therein  do  I  delight."  From  this  we  go  astray  as  soon  as 
born,  speaking  lies.  One  of  these  paths  says,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor  ;"  but  this  is  one  of  the  very 
first  that  is  forsaken ;  speaking  lies  ;  Isaiah  liii.,  6,  "  We  all  like 
sheep  have  gone  astray,  turning  every  one  to  his  own  way." 

2.  The  way  of  pardon. — Jesus  saith  unto  him,  "  I  am  the  way  ;'* 


SERMON   XVII.  97 

and  again,  "  Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  that  Icadcth 
unto  life."  The  same,  Isaiah  xxxv.,  9,  "  The  redeenned  shall  walk 
there."  From  this  way  also  "  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  born, 
speaking  lies."  Life  is  given  to  sinners  just  that  they  may  enter 
upon  this  way,  but  they  spend  it  in  going  further  and  further 
away.  The  parable  of  the  lost  sheep  shows  the  true  state  of 
every  unconverted  soul  wandering  away  from  the  good  shepherd. 
He  is  seeking  to  save  the  lost ;  you  are  wandering  further  and 
further  away.  Romans  iii.,  12,  "  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the 
way."  "Destruction  and  misery  arc  in  their  ways,  and  the  way 
of  peace  have  they  not  known."  And  oh  !  what  fearful  meaning 
does  this  give  to  the  declaration  "  speaking  lies  !"  for  it  is  written, 
1  John  ii.,  22,  "  Who  is  a  liar,  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ?"  And  again,  "He  that  believeth  not  God,  hath  made 
God  a  liar."  No  man  can  go  away  from  Christ  without  speaking 
lies. 

Learn,  the  fearful  condition  of  those  of  you  who  are  natural  men. 

1^^,  From  the  day  you  were  born  you  have  gone  astray  from 
the  path  of  God's  commandments.  Every  year,  month,  week, 
day,  hour,  minute,  has  been  fdled  up  with  sin.  Every  day  has 
seen  you  go  further  from  holiness,  further  from  God,  nearer  to 
hell.  You  are  treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath. 
Oh  !  what  a  treasure  ;  keeping  up  fuel  to  burn  you  through  eter- 
nity. If  any  of  you  live  in  drinking  or  swearing,  or  any  one  sin, 
you  are  heaping  up  fuel  for  your  eternal  hell.  You  are  getting 
further  on  in  your  sin.  You  are  wreathing  your  chains  more  and 
more  round  you.  By  a  law  of  human  nature,  every  time  you  sin, 
the  habit  becomes  stronger,  so  that  you  are  every  day  becoming 
more  completely  like  the  devil.  It  is  every  day  more  hard  to 
turn.  Experience  shows  that  most  people  are  converted  when 
young.  Dear  young  people,  every  day  you  live  in  sin  it  will  be 
more  impossible  to  turn.  "  They  that  seek  me  early  shall  find 
me." 

2c?,  From  the  day  you  were  born  you  have  gone  astray  from 
Christ.  The  good  shepherd  has  been  seeking  you.  Every  day 
you  remain  unsaved,  you  are  wandering  away  from  him.  Every 
day  you  are  getting  nearer  to  hell  and  further  from  Christ.  Un- 
belief gets  stronger  every  day. 

III.  The  deadly  enmity  of  natural  men  to  God — "  Their  poison," 
&c.     For  two  reasons  : — 

1.  Because  they  are  the  children  of  the  old  scrpe7it,  the  devil. — 
All  natural  men  are  the  seed  of  the  serpent.  See  Gen.  iii ,  15. 
All  who  oppose  and  dislike  the  children  of  God,  do  so  because 
they  are  the  seed  of  the  serpent,  and  the  poison  of  the  old  serpent 
remains  in  them.  John  the  Baptist  calls  the  Pharisees  a  genera- 
tion of  vipers,  Matt,  iii.,  7,  "  O  generation  of  vipers."  In  a  still 
more  dreadful  manner  did  our  blessed  Lord,  Matt,  xxiii.,  33,  "  Ye 

7 


98  SERMON    XVII. 

serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers."  The  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees  were  not  of  a  different  nature  from  us ;  they  had  the  same 
flesh  and  blood,  and  tlie  same  wieked  heart ;  they  were  children 
of  their  father,  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  their  father  they  would 
do:  "Tiieir  poison  was  like  the  poison  of  a  serpent." 

2.  Because  they  have  a.  mortal  enmity  to  God. — The  poison  of 
the  serpent  is  deadly  poison.  When  it  darts  its  envenomed  sling 
into  a  man  it  seeks  to  kill  him.  Such  is  the  cruel  venom  of  the 
natural  heart  against  God.  He  is  a  mortal  enemy  to  God's  holy 
government.  It  has  been  said,  "  If  the  throne  of  God  were  within 
your  reach,  and  you  knew,  it  would  not  be  safe  one  hour."  He 
is  a  mortal  enemy  to  the  very  being  of  God.  Psalm  xiv.,  1,  '•  The 
fool  has  said  in  his  heart  there  is  no  God."  It  is  in  his  heart  he 
says  this  ;  this  is  the  secret  desire  of  every  unconverted  bosom. 
If  the  breast  of  God  were  within  the  reach  of  men,  it  would  be 
stabbed  a  million  of  times  in  one  moment.  When  God  was  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh,  he  was  altogether  lovely  ;  he  did  no  sin  ;  he  went 
about  continually  doing  good :  and  yet  they  took  him  and  hung 
him  on  a  tree ;  they  mocked  him  and  spit  upon  him.  And  this  is 
the  way  men  would  do  with  God  again. 

Learn — \st,  The  fearful  depravity  of  your  heart.  I  venture  to 
say  there  is  not  an  unconverted  man  present  who  has  the  most 
distant  idea  of  the  monstrous  wickedness  that  is  now  within  his 
breast.  Stop  till  you  are  in  hell,  and  it  will  break  out  unrestrained. 
But  still  let  me  tell  you  what  it  is  ;  you  have  a  heart  that  would 
kill  God  if  you  could.  If  the  bosom  of  God  were  now  within  your 
reach,  and  one  blow  would  rid  the  universe  of  God,  you  have  a 
heart  fit  to  do  the  deed.  2c?,  The  amazing  love  of  Christ ;  "  While 
we  were  enemies,  Christ  died  for  us." 

IV.  Deaf  to  the  voice  of  the  Gospel. — It  is  a  well  known  fact 
that  many  kinds  of  serpents  can  be  tamed  by  the  power  of  music. 
This  is  referred  to  in  Ecclesiastes  x.,  11,  and  Jeremiah  viii.,  17. 
Many  travellers  in  Egypt  and  India  have  seen  this.  But  there  is 
said  to  be  one  kind  of  serpent  which  is  either  deaf,  so  that  it  can- 
not hear  the  music,  or  it  has  the  power  of  making  itself  deaf  for 
the  time,  so  that  it  is  not  charmed.  So  it  is  with  unconverted 
men. 

Christ  is  the  great  charmer.  His  voice  is  like  the  sound  of 
many  v/aters.  Never  man  spake  like  this  man.  When  Andrew 
and  Peter  heard  it,  they  left  all  and  followed  him  ;  so  did  James, 
and  John,  and  Matthew.  When  the  bride  hears  him,  she  cries. 
The  voice  of  my  beloved  !  When  the  sheep  hear  his  voice,  they 
follow  him;  when  the  dead  hear  his  voice,  they  live;  when  the 
heavy  laden  hear  it,  they  find  rest. 

But  unconverted  men  will  not  hear.  They  are  like  Manasseh ; 
they  will  not  hearken ;  they  are  like  the  Jews  when  Stepheu 
preached,  they  stopped  their  ears  and  ran. 


SERMON  xvin.  99 

Ah,  how  many  of  you  are  doing  this  very  thing,  stopping  your 
ears?  How  nnany  of  you  stop  your  ears  with  the  noise  of  the 
world,  its  business  and  care;  some  with  a  favorite  lust?  The 
voice  of  the  great  charmer  has  been  often  heard  in  this  place,  and 
some  have  heard  it  and  followed  him  ;  and  why  are  you  left  behind  ? 

Learn — \st,  The  folly  of  this.  He  is  charming  you  to  bless 
you,  to  bring  you  to  peace,  pardon,  holiness.  "  There  is  no  other 
name  given  among  men  whereby  you  can  be  saved."  2c?,  The 
guilt  of  this.  It  is  the  highest  sin  of  all,  to  refuse  him  that  speak- 
eth  from  heaven.  Heb.  xii.,  25.  It  is  put  last  here.  It  is  un- 
pardonable. All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  may  be  forgiven 
to  you,  but  if  you  will  not  hear  the  voice  of  Christ  you  must 
perish.  Christ  is  knocking  at  your  door  and  saying,  "If  any  man 
hear  my  voice  I  will  come  in."  Oh,  think  of  the  guilt  of  letting 
the  Son  of  God  stand  at  your  door  ?  Some  would  fain  lay  the 
blame  off  themselves,  but  God  washes  himself  clear  of  the  unbe- 
liever's guilt.  It  is  you  that  stop  your  ear;  ye  do  always  resist 
the  Holy  Ghost.  You  will  one  day  find  that  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned. 


SERMON  XVIII. 

"  Oh  Ephraim,  what  shall  I  do  unto  thee  ?  0  Judah,  what  shall  I  do  unto  thee  ? 
for  your  goodness  is  as  a  morning  cloud,  and  as  the  early  dew  it  goeth  away." — 
Hosea  vi.,  4. 

Doctrine. — The  impressions  of  natural  men  are  fading 

In  these  words,  God  complains  that  he  did  not  know  what  to 
do  with  Israel,  their  impressions  were  so  fading.  He  says, 
verse  5,  that  he  had  hewed  them  by  the  prophets,  and  slain  them 
by  the  words  of  his  mouth :  and  their  judgments  were  as  the 
light  that  goeth  forth.  At  one  time  he  sent  them  severe  awakening 
messages  of  coming  wrath  ;  then  messages  of  love  and  grace,  as 
bright  and  as  many  as  the  beams  of  the  sun.  They  were  a  little 
impressed  by  them  ;  the  cloud  of  distress  began  to  gather  on 
their  brow,  the  dew  of  grief  seemed  to  start  to  their  cheek,  but  it 
soon  dried  up.  It  was  like  the  morning  cloud  and  early  dew  that 
goeth  away.  So  it  is  with  all  the  unconverted  persons  in  this 
congregation,  who  will  finally  perish.  God  has  sent  them  awak- 
ening messages,  hewed  them  by  the  prophets,  and  slain  them  by 
the  words  of  his  mouth.  He  has  sent  them  also  sweet  encourag- 
ing messages  ;  his  judgments  have  been  like  the  light  that  goeth 
forth.  They  think,  and  are  impressed  for  a  little,  but  it  soon  dies 
away.    "  0  Ephraim,  what  shall  I  do,"  &;c. 


100  SERMON    XVIII. 

I.   The  fact  that  the  impressions  of  natural  men  fade  ainay. 

1.  Prove  the  fact  from  Scripture. — The  Scriptures  abound  with 
examples  of  it.  1^^,  Lot's  wife. — She  was  a  good  deal  awakened. 
The  anxious  faces  of  the  two  angelic  men,  their  awful  words, 
and  merciful  hands,  made  a  deep  impression  on  her.  The  anxiety 
of  her  husband,  too,  and  his  words  to  his  sons-in-law,  sunk  into 
her  heart.  She  fled  with  anxious  steps  ;  but  as  the  moniing 
brightened,  her  anxious  thoughts  began  to  wear  away.  She 
looked  back,  and  became  a  pillar  of  salt.  2d,  Israel  at  the  Red 
Sea. — When  Israel  had  been  led  through  the  deep  water  in 
safety,  and  when  they  saw  their  enemies  drowned,  then  they  sang 
God's  praise.  Their  hearts  were  much  aflfccted  by  this  deliver- 
ance. They  sang,  "  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  song,  he  is  also 
become  my  salvation."  They  sang  his  praise,  but  soon  forgot  his 
works.  In  three  days  they  were  murmuring  against  God  because 
of  the  bitter  waters.  3c?,  Once  a  young  man  came  running  to 
Jesus,  and  he  kneeled  down,  saying,  "  Good  Master,  what  good 
thing  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eternal  life  ?"  A  flash  of  con- 
viction had  passed  over  his  conscience  ;  he  was  now  kneeling  at 
the  feet  of  Christ,  but  he  never  kneeled  there  any  more ;  he  went 
away  sorrowful.  His  goodness  was  like  a  morning  cloud.  Ath, 
Once  Paul  preached  before  Felix,  the  Roman  Governor ;  and  as 
he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to  come, 
Felix  trembled.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  made  the  proud 
Roman  tremble  on  his  throne,  but  did  it  save  his  soul  ?  Ah,  no  ! 
"  Go  thy  way  for  this  time,  when  I  have  a  more  convenient  sea- 
son I  will  send  for  thee."  His  goodness  w^as  like  the  morning 
cloud,  bth,  Again,  Paul  preached  before  King  Agrippa  and  his 
beautiful  Bernice,  with  all  the  captains  and  chief  men  of  the  city. 
The  word  troubled  Agrippa's  heart,  the  tear  started  into  his  royal 
eye,  for  a  moment  he  thought  of  leaving  all  for  Christ.  "Almost 
thou  persuadest  mc  to  be  a  Christian."  But  ah  !  his  goodness 
was  like  a  morning  cloud  and  early  dew.  In  all  these  the  cloud 
gathered  over  them,  for  a  moment  the  dew  glistened  in  their 
eye,  but  soon  it  passed  away,  and  left  the  hard  rocky  heart 
behind. 

2.  Prove  the  fact  from  experience. — Most  men  under  a  preached 
gospel  have  their  times  of  awakening.  If  the  impressions  of 
natural  men  were  permanent,  then  most  would  be  saved,  but  we 
know  that  this  is  not  the  case.  Few  there  be  that  find  it.  Per- 
haps I  would  not  go  far  wrong  if  I  were  to  say,  that  there  may 
not  be  ten  grown  up  men  in  this  congregation  who  have  never 
experienced  any  concern  for  their  soul,  and  yet  I  fear  there  may 
be  hundreds  who  will  finally  perish. 

\st,  How  many  have  had  a  time  of  awakening  in  childhood, 
when  they  were  prayed  over  by  a  believing  mother,  or  warned 
by  a  believing  father,  or  taught  by  a  faithful  Sabbath-school 
teacher  ?     How  many  have  had  deep  impressions  made  at  the 


SERMON    XVIII.  101 

Sabbath-school  ?  But  they  have  passed  away  Hkc  the  morning 
cloud  and  early  dew. 

2d,  At  their  first  communion,  when  they  first  spoke  to  a  minis- 
ter about  their  soul,  and  heard  his  piercing  questions  and  faithful 
warnings,  when  they  got  their  token  from  his  hand,  when  they  first 
received  the  bread  and  wine,  and  sat  at  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
they  trembled,  the  tear  dimmed  their  eye,  they  went  home  to 
pray.  But  soon  it  wore  away.  The  world,  pleasure,  cares, 
involved  the  mind,  and  all  was  gone  like  the  cloud  and  the  dew. 

Sd,  A  first  sickness.  How  many,  laid  down  on  a  bed  of  sick- 
ness, are  made  to  look  over  the  verge  of  the  grave  ?  They 
tremble  as  they  think  how  unprepared  they  are  to  die  ;  and  now 
they  begin  to  vow  and  resolve,  if  the  Lord  spare  me,  I  will  avoid 
evil  companions,  I  will  pray  and  read  my  Bible,  &c. ;  but  no 
sooner  are  they  better  than  the  resolutions  are  forgotten,  like  the 
cloud  and  dew. 

4th,  First  death  in  a  family.  What  a  deep  impression  this 
makes  on  a  feeling  heart.  That  lovely  circle  is  broken  round  the 
fire,  and  never  will  be  whole  again.  Now  they  begin  to  pray,  to 
turn  to  him  that  smites.  Perhaps  kneeling  beside  the  cold  body, 
they  vow  no  longer  to  go  back  to  sin  and  folly.  Or,  following  the 
body  to  the  grave,  while  the  big  tear  stands  in  the  eye,  they  pro- 
mise to  bury  all  their  sins  and  follies  in  the  grave  of  their  beloved 
one.  But  soon  a  change  comes  over  them,  the  tears  dry  up,  and 
the  prayer  is  forgotten.  The  world  tnkes  its  place  again  and 
reigns.     Their  goodness  is  as  the  morning  cloud. 

5th,  In  a  time  of  awakening,  many  receive  deep  impressions. 
Some  are  alarmed  to  see  others  alarmed  that  are  no  worse  than 
they.  Many  have  their  feelings  stirred,  their  affections  moved. 
Many  are  brought  to  desire  conversion,  to  weep  and  to  pray.  Mr. 
Edwards  mentions  that  there  was  scarcely  an  individual  in  the 
whole  town  unconcerned  ;  there  were  tokens  of  God's  promise  in 
every  house.  So  here  ;  and  yet,  when  the  time  is  past,  how  soon 
theysink  back  into  former  indifference.  Their  goodness  is  as  the 
morning  cloud. 

Dear  friends,  ye  are  my  witnesses.  I  do  not  know,  but  I  believe 
I  am  not  wrong  in  stating,  that  by  far  the  greater  number  of  you 
have  been  under  remorse  at  some  time  or  another,  and  yet  God 
and  your  own  consciences  know  how  fading  these  impressions 
have  been.  Just  as  the  morning  cloud  passes  off  the  moun- 
tain's brow,  and  the  dew  is  dried  up  from  the  rock,  and  leaves 
it  a  rock  still,  so  your  impressions  have  passed  away,  and  left 
you  a  rocky  heart  still.  So  it  is  in  those  that  perish.  The  way 
to  hell  is  paved  with  good  intentions,  and  hell  is  peopled  with 
those  who  once  wept  and  prayed  for  their  souls.  "  O  Ephraim, 
what  shall  I  do  unto  thee  V 

3.  Let  us  show  the  steps  of  impressions  fading  away.— When  a 


102  SERMON    XVIII. 

natural  man  is  under  concern,  he  begins  to  make  a  very  diligent 
use  of  the  means  of  grace. 

1^/,  Prayer. — When  a  man  is  under  the  fear  of  hell,  he  begins 
to  pniy,  and  often  he  hns  very  melting  and  sweet  affections  in- 
prayer.  As  long  as  his  impressions  last,  he  may  be  very  con- 
stant in  his  duty.  But  will  he  always  call  upon  God  ?  When  his 
concern  ceases,  his  praying  in  secret  gradually  ceases  also.  Not 
all  at  once,  but  by  degrees  he  gives  up  secret  prayer.  Once  he 
has  been  out  in  company,  another  time  kept  long  at  business,  ano- 
ther time  he  is  sleeping,  and  so  by  degrees  he  gives  it  up  altoge- 
ther.    "  O  Ephraim,"  &c. 

2d,  Hearing  the  word. — When  a  man  is  first  awakened,  he 
comes  well  out  to  the  preaching  of  the  word.  He  knows  that 
God  blesses  especially  the  preaching  of  the  word — that  it  pleases 
God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  beKeve. 
He  is  an  arrested  hearer  ;  he  drinks  in  the  words  of  the  minis- 
ter; he  is  lively  in  his  attendance  on  the  word;  if  there  be 
preaching  in  the  week  evening,  he  puts  by  his  work  in  order  to  be 
there.  But,  when  his  concern  wears  away,  he  begins  to  weary 
first  of  the  week-day  service,  then  of  the  Sabbath,  then  perhaps 
he  seeks  a  more  careless  ministry,  where  he  may  slumber  on 
till  death  and  judgment.  Ah,  this  has  been  the  course  of  thou- 
sands in  this  place.     '*  O  Ephraim,"  &c. 

3d,  Asking  counsel  of  ministers. — When  souls  are  under 
remorse,  they  often  ask  counsel  of  the  under  shepherds  of  Christ. 
*'  Going  and  weeping,  they  come  to  seek  the  Lord  their  God  ;  they 
ask  the  way  to  Zion."  They  go  to  the  watchman,  saying,  Saw 
ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  '(  This  is  one  of  the  duties  of  the 
faithful  pastor,  for  "  the  priest's  lips  should  keep  knowledge;  and 
they  should  seek  the  law  at  his  mouth ;  for  he  is  the  messen- 
ger of  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  But  when  concern  dies  away,  this 
dies  away.  Many  come  once  that  never  come  again.  "  O 
Ephraim,"  &c. 

4th,  Avoiding  sin. — When  a  man  is  under  convictions,  he  always 
avoids  open  sin,  flees  from  it  with  all  his  might.  He  reforms  his 
life  ;  his  soul  is  swept  and  garnished.  But  when  his  concern  dies 
away,  his  lusts  revive,  and  he  goes  back  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit, 
and  like  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  its  wallowing  in  the  mire. 
If  there  was  anything  saving  in  the  impressions  of  natural  men, 
they  would  turn  holier  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  turn  worse 
and  worse.  Seven  devils  enter  into  that  man,  and  the  lattci 
end  is  worse  than  the  beginning.     "  O  Ephraim,"  &c. 

II.  Reasons  why  the  impressions  of  natural  men  die  away. 

1.  They  never  are  brought  to  feel  truly  lost. — The  wounds  of 
natural  men  are  generally  skin  deep.  Sometimes  it  is  just  a  flash 
of  terror  that  has  alarmed  them.  Often  it  is  the  sense  of  some 
one  great  sin  they  have  committed.    Sometimes  it  is  only  sympa- 


SERMON  xvrii.  103 

thy  with  others — fleeing  because  others  flee.  They  are  often 
brought  to  say,  I  am  a  great  sinner  ;  I  fear  there  is  no  mercy  for 
mc.  Still  they  are  not  brought  to  feel  undone,  their  mouth  is  not 
stopped,  they  do  not  cover  the  lip  like  the  leper.  They  think  a 
little  prayer,  sorrow,  repentance,  amendment,  will  do.  If  ihey 
could  only  change  their  way.  They  are  not  brought  to  see  that 
all  they  do  just  signifies  nothing  toward  justifying  them.  If  they 
were  brought  to  feel  their  utterly  lost  state,  and  their  need  of 
another's  righteousness,  they  never  could  rest  in  the  world  again. 

2.  Tliey  never  saw  the  heauly  of  Christ. — A  flaslr  of  terror  may 
bring  a  man  to  his  knees,  but  will  not  bring  him  to  Christ.  Ah! 
no;  love  must  draw.  A  natural  man,  under  concern,  sees  no 
beauty  nor  desirableness  in  Christ.  He  is  not  brought  to  look  to 
him  whom  he  pierced,  and  to  mourn.  When  once  a  man  gets  a 
sight  of  the  supreme  excellence  and  sweetness  of  Christ;  when 
he  sees  his  fulness  for  pardon,  peace,  holiness,  he  will  never  draw 
back.  He  may  be  in  distress  and  in  darkness,  but  he  will  rise  and 
go  about  the  city  to  seek  him  whom  his  soul  loveth.  The  heart 
that  has  once  seen  Christ  is  smit  with  the  love  of  him,  and  never 
can  lest  nor  take  up  with  others  short  of  him. 

3.  He  never  had  heart-haired  of  sin. — The  impressions  of  na- 
tural men  arc  generally  of  terror.  They  feel  the  danger  of  sin, 
not  the  filthiness  of  it.  They  feel  that  God  is  just  and  true,  that 
the  law  must  be  avenged,  that  the  wrath  of  God  will  come.  They 
see  that  there  is  hell  in  their  sins;  but  they  do  not  feel  their  sins 
to  be  a  hell.  They  love  sin ;  they  have  no  change  of  nature. 
The  Spirit  of  God  does  not  dwell  in  them  ;  and  therefore  the  im- 
pression wears  easily  away,  like  as  on  sand.  Those  that  are 
brought  to  Christ  are  brought  to  see  the  turpitude  of  sin.  They 
cry  not,  Behold  I  am  undone,  but,  behold  I  am  vile.  As  long  as 
sin  is  in  their  breast,  they  are  kept  fleeing  to  the  cross  of  Christ. 

4.  They  have  no  promises  to  keep  their  impressions. — Those 
who  are  in  Christ  have  sweet  promises.  "  I  will  put  my  fear  in 
their  hearts." — Jer.  xxxii.,  40.  "  Being  confident  that  he  which 
hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it." — Phil,  i.,  6.  But 
natural  men  have  no  interest  in  these  promises  ;  and  so,  in  the  time 
of  temptation,  their  anxieties  easily  wear  away. 

III.  Sadness  of  their  case. 

].  God  mourns  over  their  case. — "OEphraim."  It  must  be  a 
truly  sad  case  that  God  mourns  over.  When  Christ  wept  ovfer 
Jerusalem,  it  showed  it  was  in  a  desperate  case,  because  that  eye 
that  wept  saw  plainly  what  was  coming ;  and  accordingly,  in  a 
few  years,  that  lovely  city  was  a  ruined  heap,  and  multitudes  of 
those  then  living  were  in  hell,  arid  their  children  vagabonds. 
When  Christ  looked  round  on  the  Pharisees  with  anger,  being 
grieved  at  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  it  showed  a  desperate 
case  ;  he  would  not  grieve  for  nothing.     So  here  you  may  be  sure 


104  SERMON   XVIII. 

the  case  of  natural  men  who  lose  i.heir  impressions  is  very  despe- 
rate, from  these  words  of  God,  "O  Ephraim." 

2.  Gad  has  no  new  method  of  aioakening. — God  speaks  as  even 
at  a  loss  what  to  do,  to  show  you  that  there  rcmaineth  no  more 
sacrifice  for  sins.  You  have  heard  all  the  awakening  truths  in 
the  Bible,  and  all  the  winning,  comforting  truths.  You  have  been 
at  Sinai,  and  at  Gethsemane,  and  at  Calvary:  what  more  can  I 
do  unto  thee  ?  These  have  been  pressed  home  upon  you  by  Di- 
vine providences,  in  affliction,  by  the  bed  of  death,  and  in  a  time  of 
wide  awakening.  You  have  passed  through  a  season  when  it  was 
tenfold  more  likely  that  you  would  be  truly  converted  than  at  any 
other  time.  You  arc  sunk  back.  Ah!  the  harvest  is  past,  the 
summer  is  ended,  and  you  are  not  saved.  God  has  no  more 
arrows  in  his  quiver,  no  new  arguments,  no  other  hell,  no  other 
Christ. 

3.  No  good  by  your  past  impressions. — When  the  cloud  is  dried 
up  off  the  mountain's  brow,  and  the  dew  ofFthe  rock,  the  mountain 
is  as  great  as  before,  and  the  rock  as  hard  ;  but  when  convictions 
fade  away  from  the  heart  of  a  natural  man,  they  leave  the  mountain 
of  his  sins  much  greater,  and  his  rocky  heart  much  harder.  It  is 
less  likely  that  that  man  will  ever  be  saved.  Just  as  iron  is  hard- 
ened by  being  melted  and  cooled  again  ;  just  as  a  person  recover- 
ing from  fever  relapses,  and  is  worse  than  before. 

ist,  You  are  now  older,  and  every  day  less  likely  to  be  saved ; 
your  heart  gets  used  to  its  old  ways  of  thinking  and  feeling ;  the 
old  knee  cannot  easily  learn  to  bend. 

2d,  You  have  offended  the  Spirit ;  you  have  missed  your  op- 
portunity ;  you  have  vexed  the  Holy  Spirit ;  convictions  are  not 
in  your  o\a  n  power ;  the  Spirit  hath  merc}'^  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy. 

3c?,  You  have  got  into  the  way  of  putting  aside  convictions. 
The  eyelid  naturally  closes  when  any  object  is  coming  against  it, 
so  docs  the  heart  of  a  practised  worldling  close  and  shut  out  con- 
victions. 

4^th,  When  you  come  to  hell,  you  will  wish  you  never  had  had 
convictions,  they  will  make  your  punishment  so  much  the  greater. 

I  would  now  entreat  all  who  have  any  impressions,  not  to  let 
them  slip.  It  is  a  great  mercy  to  live  under  a  gospel  ministry; 
still  greater  to  live  in  a  time  of  revival ;  still  greater  to  have  God 
pouring  the  Spirit  into  your  heart,  awakening  your  soul.  Do  not 
neglect  it,  do  not  turn  back,  remember  Lot's  wife.  Escape  for 
thy  life  ;  look  not  behind  thee  ;  tarry  not  in  all  the  plain.  Escape 
to  the  mountain  lest  thou  be  consumed. 


SERMON   XIX.  103 


SERMON  XIX. 

"  She  hath  done  what  she  could  ;  she  is  come  aforehand  to  anoint  my  body  to  the 
burying." — Mark  xiv.,  8. 

Doctrine. — Do  what  you  can. 

From  the  gospel  of  John  (xi.,  2)  we  learn  that  this  woman  was 
Mary,  the  sister  of  Lazarus  and  Martha.  We  have  already  learned 
that  she  was  an  eminent  believer :  "'  She  sat  at  the  feet  of  Christ 
and  heard  his  word."  Jesus  himself  said  of  her,  "  Mary  hath 
chosen  the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 
Now,  it  is  interesting  to  see  this  same  Mary  eminent  in  another 
way,  not  only  as  a  contempladve  believer  but  as  an  active  believer. 

Many  seem  to  think,  that  to  be  a  believer  is  to  have  certain  feel- 
ings and  experiences ;  forgetting  all  the  time  that  these  are  but 
the  flowers,  and  that  the  fruit  must  follow.  The  engrafting  of  the 
branch  is  good,  the  inflowing  of  the  sap  good,  but  the  fruit  is  the 
end  in  view.  So  faith  is  good,  and  peace  and  joy  are  good,  but 
holy  fruit  is  the  end  for  which  we  are  saved. 

1  trust  many  of  you,  last  Sabbath,  were  like  Mary,  sitting  at 
the  Redeemer's  feet,  and  hearing  his  word.  Now  1  would  per- 
suade you  to  be  like  Mary,  in  doing  lohat  you  can  for  Christ.  If 
you  have  been  bought  with  a  price,  then  glorify  God  in  your 
body  and  spirit,  which  are  his.  I  beseecli  you  by  the  mercies  of 
God— 

I.   These  are  things  ivhich  we  can  do. 

1.  We  could  love  Christ,  pray  and  praise  more. — What  this 
woman  did,  she  did  to  Christ.  Jesus  had  saved  her  soul,  had 
saved  her  brother  and  sister,  and  she  felt  that  she  could  not  do 
too  much  for  him.  She  brought  an  alabaster  b^x  of  ointment, 
very  costly,  and  brake  the  box  and  poured  it  on  his  head.  No 
doubt  she  loved  his  disciples,  holy  John  and  frank  Peter,  yet 
still  she  loved  Christ  more.  No  doubt  she  loved  Christ's  poor, 
and  was  often  kind  to  them,  yet  she  loved  Jesus  more.  On  his 
blessed  head,  that  was  so  soon  to  be  crowned  with  thorns ;  on 
his  blessed  feet,  that  were  so  soon  to  be  pierced  with  nails,  she 
poured  the  precious  ointment.  This  is  what  we  should  do.  If 
we  have  been  saved  by  Christ,  we  should  pour  out  our  best  affec- 
tions on  him.  It  is  well  to  love  his  disciples,  well  to  love  his 
ministers,  well  to  love  his  poor,  but  it  is  best  to  love  himself.  We 
cannot  now  reach  his  blessed  head,  nor  anoint  his  holy  feet,  but 
we  can  fall  down  at  his  footstool  and  pour  out  our  affections  towards 
him.  It  was  not  the  ointment  Jesus  cared  for:  what  docs  the 
King  of  Glory  care  for  a  little  ointment?  but  it  is  the  loving  heart 
poured  out  upon  his  feet ;    it  is  the  adoration,  praise,  love,  and 


106  SERMON    XIX 

prayers  of  a  believer's  broken  heart,  that  Christ  cares  for.     The 
new  heart  is  the  alabaster  hox  that  Jesus  loves. 

Oh,  brethren,  could  you  not  do  more  in  this  way  ?  could  you 
not  give  more  time  to  pouring  out  your  heart  to  Jesus — breaking 
the  box  and  filling  the  room  with  the  odor  of  your  praise?  Could 
you  not  pray  more  than  you  do  to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  that 
the  Spirit  may  be  poured  down  on  ministers,  and  God's  people, 
and  on  an  unconverted  world  ?  Jesus  loves  tears  and  groans 
from  a  broken  heart. 

2.  We  could  live  holier  lives. — The  Church  is  thus  described  in 
the  song  of  Solomon,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  the  wilder- 
ness like  pillars  of  smoke,  perfumed  with  myrrh  and  frankincense, 
with  all  powers  of  the  mei-chant?"  The  holiness  of  the  believer 
is  like  the  most  precious  perfume.  When  a  holy  believer  goes 
through  the  world,  filled  with  the  Spirit,  made  more  than  con- 
queror, the  fragrance  fills  the  room,  ""'tis  as  if  an  angel  shook  his 
wings."  If  the  world  were  full  of  believers  it  would  be  like  a  bed 
of  spices  ;  but,  oh  !  how  few  bclieveis  carry  much  of  the  odor  of 
heaven  along  with  them.  How  many  you  might  be  the  means  of 
saving,  if  you  lived  a  holy,  consistent  life — if  you  were  evidently 
a  sacrifice  bound  upon  God's  altar.  Wives  might  thus,  without 
the  word,  win  their  husbands,  when  they  see  your  chaste  conver- 
sation coupled  with  fear ;  parents  might  in  this  way  save  their 
children,  wlien  they  saw  you  holy  and  happy  ;  children  have  often 
thus  saved  their  parents.  Servants,  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
your  Saviour  in  all  things;  let  your  light  shine  before  men.  The 
poorest  can  do  this  as  well  as  the  richest,  the  youngest  as  well  as 
the  oldest.     Oh,  there  is  no  argument  like  a  holy  life. 

3.  You  could  seek  the  salvation  of  others. — If  you  have  really 
been  brought  to  ('hrist  and  saved,  then  you  know  there  is  a  hell, 
you  know  that  all  the  unconverted  around  you  are  hastening  to  it ; 
you  know  there  is  a  Saviour,  and  that  he  is  stretching  out  his 
hands  all  the  day  long  to  sinners.  Could  you  do  no  more  to  save 
sinners  than  you  do?  Do  you  do  all  you  can?  You  say  you 
pray  for  them;  but  is  it  not  hypocrisy  to  pray  and  do  nothing? 
Will  God  hear  these  prayers  ?  Have  you  no  fears  that  prayers 
without  labors  are  only  provoking  God  ?  You  say  you  cannot 
speak,  you  are  not  learned.  Will  that  excuse  stand  in  the  judg- 
ment? Does  it  require  much  learning  to  tell  fellow-sinners  that 
they  are  perishing  ?  If  their  house  was  on  fire,  would  it  require 
much  learning  to  wake  the  sleepers? 

Begin  at  home. — Could  you  not  do  more  for  the  salvation  of 
those  at  home  ?  If  there  are  children  or  servants,  have  you  done 
all  you  can  for  them  ?  Have  you  done  all  you  can  to  bring  the 
truth  before  them,  to  bring  them  under  a  living  ministry,  to  get 
them  to  pray  and  give  up  sin  ? 

Do  you  do  what  you  can  for  your  neighbors  ?  Can  you  pass 
your  neighbors  for  years  together,  and  see  them  on  the  broad 


SERMON    XIX.  107 

way,  without  warning  them?  Do  you  make  a  full  use  of  tracts, 
giving  suitable  ones  to  those  that  need  them?  Do  you  persuade 
Sabbath-breakers  to  go  to  the  house  of  God  ?  Do  you  do  any- 
thing in  Sabbath  Schools?  Could  you  not  tell  little  children  the 
way  to  be  saved  ?  Do  you  do  what  you  can  for  the  world?  The 
field  is  the  world. 

4.  Feed  Christ's  poor. — I  am  far  from  thinking  that  the  wicked 
poor  should  be  passed  over,  but  Christ's  poor  arc  our  brothers  and 
sisters.  Do  you  do  what  you  can  for  them  ?  In  the  great  day, 
Christ  will  say  to  those  on  his  right  hand,  "  Come,  ye  blessed,  for 
I  was  an  hungered  and  ye  gave  me  meat."  They  stand  in  the 
place  of  Christ.  Christ  does  not  any  more  stand  in  need  of  Mary's 
ointment,  or  iNIartha's  hospitality,or  the  Samaritan's  drink  of  water. 
He  is  beyond  the  reach  of  these  thing?,  and  will  never  need  them 
more  ;  but  he  has  left  many  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  behind  in 
this  world,  some  diseased,  some  lame,  some  like  Lazarus,  all 
covered  with  sores  ;  and  he  says,  What  ye  do  to  them  ye  do  to 
me.  Do  you  live  plainly,  in  order  to  have  more  to  give  away  ? 
Do  you  put  away  vain  and  gaudy  clothes,  that  you  may  be  able 
to  clothe  the  naked  ?  Are  you  thrifty  in  managing  what  you  have, 
letting  nothing  be  lost  ? 

II.  Reasons  irhy  we  should  do  what  we  can. 

1.  Christ  has  done  what  he  could  for  us. — Isaiah  v.,  4,  "  What 
could  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done 
in  it?"  He  thought  nothing  too  much  to  do  and  to  suffer  for  us. 
While  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  Greater  love  than 
this  hath  no  man.  All  his  life,  between  the  manger  at  Bethlehem 
and  the  cross  of  Calvary,  was  spent  in  labors  and  infinite  suffer- 
ings for  us.  All  that  we  needed  to  suffer,  he  suffered  ;  all  that  we 
needed  to  obey,  he  obeyed.  All  his  life  in  glory  he  spends  for  us. 
He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us.  He  is  head  over  all 
things  for  us — makes  everything  in  all  vv'orlds  work  together  for 
our  good.  It  is  all  but  incredible  that  each  person  of  the  Godhead 
has  made  himself  over  to  us  to  be  ours.  The  Father  says,  "  I  am 
thy  God  ;"  the  Son, "  Fear  not,  for  I  have  redeemod  thee  ;"  the 
Holy  Ghost  makes  us  a  temple,  "  1  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk 
in  them."  Is  it  much  that  we  should  do  all  we  can  for  him — that 
we  should  give  ourselves  up  to  him  who  gave  himself  for  us? 

2.  Satan  does  all  he  can. — Sometimes  he  comes  as  a  lion.  Your 
adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion  walketh  about  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour ;  sometimes  as  a  serpent,  "  as  the  serpent  beguiled 
Eve ;"  sometimes  as  an  angel  of  light.  He  does  all  he  can  to 
tempt  and  beguile  the  saints,  leading  them  away  by  false  teachers, 
injecting  blasphemies  and  polluted  thoughts  into  their  minds,  cast- 
ing fiery  darts  at  their  souls,  stirring  up  the  world  to  hate  and  per- 
secute them,  stirring  up  father  and  mother  against  the  children, 
and  brother  against  brother.     He  does  all  he  can  to  lead  captive 


108  SERMON    XIX. 

wicked  men,  blinding  their  minds,  not  allowing  them  to  listen  to  the 
gospel,  steeping  them  in  swinish  lusts,  leading  them  into  despair. 
When  he  knows  his  time  is  short,  he  rages  all  the  more.  O  should 
not  we  do  all  we  can,  if  Satan  does  all  he  can  ? 

3.  We  have  done  all  we  could  the  other  way. — This  was  one  of 
Paul's  great  motives  for  doing  all  he  could — "  I  thank  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord  for  putting  me  into  the  ministry,  for  I  was  a  blasphemer, 
and  persecutor,  and  injurious."  He  never  could  forget  how  he 
had  persecuted  the  Church  of  God,  and  wasted  it ;  and  this  made 
him  as  diligent  in  building  it  up,  and  hailing  men  and  women  to 
Christ.  He  preached  the  faith  which  once  he  destroyed.  So  with 
Peter,  "  Let  us  live  the  rest  of  our  time  in  the  flesh,  not  to  the  lusts 
of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God  ;  for  the  time  past  of  our  lives  may 
suffice  to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  when  we  walked 
in  lasciviousness,  lusts,  excess  of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,  and 
abominable  idolatries."  So  with  John  Newton,  '•  How  can  the  old 
African  blasphemer  be  silent '!"  So  with  many  of  you  ;  you  ran 
greedily  after  sin  ;  you  were  at  great  pains  and  cost,  and  did  not 
spare  health,  or  money,  or  time,  to  obtain  some  sinful  gratification. 
How  can  you  now  grudge  anything  for  Christ  ?  Only  serve 
Christ  as  zealously  as  you  once  served  the  devil. 

4.  Christ  will  own  and  reward  what  we  do. — The  labor  that 
Christ  blcsseth  is  believing  labor.  It  is  not  words  of  human  wis- 
dom, but  words  of  faith,  that  God  makes  arrows.  The  word  of  a 
little  maid  was  blessed  in  the  house  of  Naaman  the  Syrian.  "  Fol- 
low me,"  vi^as  made  the  arrow  to  pierce  the  heart  of  Matthew.  It 
is  all  one  to  God  to  save,  whether  with  many,  or  with  them  that 
have  no  might.  If  you  would  do  all  you  can,  the  town  would  be 
filled  with  the  fragrance.  Christ  will  reward  it.  He  defended 
Mary's  work  of  love,  and  said  it  should  be  spoken  of,  over  all  the 
world,  and  it  will  yet  be  told  in  the  judgment.  A  cup  of  cold 
water  he  will  not  pass  over.  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant." 

5.  If  you  do  not  do  all  you  can,  how  can  you  jjrove  yourself  a 
Christian  ? — "  Pure  religion,  and  undefiled  before  God  the  Father, 
is  this.  To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and 
to  keep  himself  unspotted  fi-om  the  world."  You  are  greatly  mis- 
taken if  you  think  that  to  be  a  Christian  is  merely  to  have  certain 
views,  and  convictions,  and  spiritual  delights.  This  is  all  well ; 
but  if  it  leads  not  to  a  devoted  life,  I  fear  it  is  all  a  delusion.  If 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature. 

III.  Let  us  answer  objections. 

I.  The  world  will  mock  at  us. — Ans.  This  is  true.  They  mocked 
at  Mary,  they  called  it  waste  and  extravagance  ;  and  yet,  Christ 
said  it  was  well  done.  So  if  you  do  what  you  can  the  world  will 
laugh  at. you,  but  you  will  have  the  smile  of  Christ.  They  mocked 
at  Christ  when  he  was  full  of  zeal ;  they  said  he  was  mad,  and 


SERMON    XX.  -  109 

had  a  devil.  They  mocked  at  Paul,  and  said  he  was  mad  ;  and 
so  with  all  Christ's  living  members.  '*  Rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are 
partakers  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ."  "  If  ye  suffer  with  him  ye 
shall  also  reign  with  him." 

2.  What  call  I  do,  I  am  a  woman. — Mary  was  a  woman,  yet 
she  did  what  she  could.  Mary  Magdalene  was  a  woman,  and  yet 
she  was  first  at  the  sepulchre.  Phebe  was  a  woman,  yet  a  suc- 
corer  of  many,  and  of  Paul  also.  Dorcas  was  a  woman,  yet  she 
made  coats  and  garments  for  the  poor  at  Joppa.  I  am  a  child — 
Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  God  perfects  praise. 
God  has  often  used  children  in  the  conversion  of  their  parents. 

3.  /  have  too  little  grace  to  be  good. — "  He  that  watereth  others, 
shall  be  watered  himself."  "  The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made 
fat."  "  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Christ  should  all  fulness  dwell." 
There  is  a  full  supply  of  the  Spirit  to  teach  you  to  pray,  a  full 
supply  of  grace  to  slay  your  sins  and  quicken  your  graces.  If 
you  use  opportunities  of  speaking  to  others,  God  will  give  you 
plenty.  If  you  give  much  to  God's  poor,  you  shall  never  want  a 
rich  supply.  "  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you  ; 
that  ye,  always  having  all  sufficiency  in  all  things,  may  abound  to 
every  good  work."  "  Bring  all  the  tithes  unto  my  storehouse, 
and  prove  me  now  hei-ewith."  "  Honor  the  Lord  with  thy  sub- 
stance, and  with  the  first  fruits  of  all  thine  increase ;  so  shall  thy 
barns  be  filled  with  plenty,  and  thy  presses  shall  burst  out  with 
new  wine." 

.april  2G,  1842. 


SERMON  XX. 

"  It  was  but  a  little  that  I  passed  from  them,  but  I  found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth ; 
I  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go,  until  I  had  brought  him  into  my  mother's 
house,  and  into  the  chamber  of  her  that  conceived  me." — Song  iii.,  4. 

Have  you  found  him  whom  your  soul  loveth  ?  Have  you  this  day 
seen  his  beauty,  heard  his  voice,  believed  the  record  concerning 
him,  sat  under  his  shadow,  found  fellowship  with  him  ?  then  hold 
him,  and  do  not  let  him  go. 

I.  Motives. 

1 .  Because  peace  is  to  be  found  in  him. — Justified  by  faith  we 
have  peace  with  God,  not  peace  with  ourselves,  not  peace  with 
the  world,  with  sin,  with  Satan,  but  peace  with  God.  True  Divine 
peace  is  to  be  found  only  in  believing,  only  in  keeping  fast  hold  of 
Christ.  If  you  let  him  go,  you  let  go  your  righteousness ;  for  this 
is  his  name.     You  are  then  without  righteousness,  without  a  cover- 


110 


SERMON    XX. 


ing  from  the  wrath  of  God,  without  a  way  to  the  Father.  The 
law  will  again  condemn  you  ;  God's  frown  will  again  overshadow 
you  ;  you  will  again  have  terrors  of  conscience.  Hold  him  then, 
and  do  not  let  him  go.  Whatever  you  let  go,  let  not  Christ  go ; 
for  he  is  our  peace,  not  in  knowledge,  not  in  feeling,  but  trust  in 
Him  alone. 

2.  Holiness  Jloios  from  Him. — No  true  holiness  in  this  world, 
but  it  springs  irom  Him.  A  living  Christ  is  the  spring  of  holiness 
to  all  his  members.  As  long  as  we  hold  him,  and  do  not  let  him 
go,  our  holiness  is  secure.  He  is  engaged  to  keep  us  from  falling. 
He  loves  us  too  well  to  let  us  fall  under  the  reigning  power  of  sin. 
His  word  is  engaged,  *'  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you."  His 
honor  would  be  tarnished  if  any  that  cleave  to  him  were  suffered 
to  live  in  sin.  If  you  let  him  go,  you  will  fall  into  sin.  You  have 
no  strength,  no  store  of  grace,  no  power  to  resist  a  thousand  ene- 
mies— no  promises.  If  Christ  be  for  you,  who  can  be  against 
you  ;  but  if  you  let  go  his  arms,  where  are  you  ? 

3.  Hope  of  glory  is  in  Him. — We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God.  If  you  have  found  Jesus  this  day,  you  have  found  a  way 
into  glory.  A  few  steps  more,  you  can  say,  and  I  shall  be  for 
ever  with  the  Lord.  I  shall  be  free  from  pain  and  sorrow  ;  free 
from  sin  and  weakness  ;  free  from  enemies.  As  long  as  you 
hold  Christ,  you  can  see  your  way  to  the  judgment  seat.  "  Thou 
wilt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  receive  me  to  ihy  glory." 
This  gives  such  joy,  such  transporting  desires  after  the  heavenly 
world.  But  let  Christ  go,  and  this  will  be  gone.  Let  Christ  go, 
and  how  can  you  die?  The  grave  is  covered  with  clouds  of 
threatening.  Let  Him  go,  and  how  can  you  go  to  the  judgment 
— where  can  you  appear  ? 

II.  Means. 

1.  Christ  promises  to  keep  you  holding  Him. — If  you  are  really 
holding  Christ  this  day,  you  are  in  a  most  blessed  condition,  for 
Christ  engages  to  keep  you  cleaving  to  him.  "  My  soul  followeth 
hard  after  thee,  and  thy  right  hand  upholdeth  me."  He  that  is  the 
Creator  of  the  world  is  the  upholder  of  it,  so  he  that  new  creates 
the  soul  keeps  it  in  being.  This  is  never  to  be  forgotten.  Not 
only  does  the  Church  lean  on  her  beloved,  but  he  puts  his  left 
hand  under  her  head,  and  his  right  hand  doth  embrace  her.  "  I 
taught  Ephraim  how  to  ^o,  taking  them  by  their  arms."  It  is 
good  for  a  child  to  hold  last  by  its  mother's  neck,  but  ah  !  that 
would  be  a  feeble  support,  if  the  maternal  arm  did  not  enfold  the 
child,  and  clasp  it  to  her  bosom.  Faith  is  good,  but  ah  !  it  is  no- 
thing without  the  grace  that  gave  it.  "  I  will  put  my  fear  in  your 
heart." 

2.  Faith  in  Christ. — The  only  way  to  hold  fast  is  to  believe 
more  and  more.  Get  a  larger  acquaintance  with  Christ ;  with  his 
person,  work,  and  character.     Every  page  of  the  Gospel  unfolds 


SERMON    XXI.  Ill 

a  new  feature  in  his  character ;  every  line  of  the  Epistles  discloses 
new  depths  of  his  work.  Get  more  faith,  and  you  will  get  a  firmer 
hold.  A  plant  that  has  got  a  single  root  may  be  easily  torn  up  by  the 
hand,  or  crushed  by  the  foot  of  the  wild  beast,  or  blown  down  by 
the  wind ;  but  a  plant  that  has  a  thousand  roots  struck  down  into 
the  ground  can  stand.  Faith  is  like  the  root ;  many  believe  a  little 
concerning  Christ ;  one  fact.  Every  new  truth  concerning  Jesus 
is  a  new  root  struck  downwards.  Believe  more  intensely.  A 
root  may  be  in  a  right  direction,  but,  not  striking  deep,  it  is  easily 
torn  up.  Pray  for  deep-rooted  faith.  Pray  to  be  stablished, 
strengthened,  settled.  Take  a  long  intense  look  at  Jesus  ;  often, 
often.  If  you  wanted  to  know  a  man  again,  and  he  was  going  away, 
you  would  take  an  intense  look  at  his  face.  Look  then  at  Jesus  ; 
deeply,  intensely,  till  every  feature  is  graven  on  your  heart. 
Thomas  Scott  overcame  the  fear  of  death  by  looking  intensely  at 
his  dead  child,  who  had  died  in  the  Lord. 

3.  Fraijer. — Jacob  at  Bethel.  Isaiah  xxvii.,  5,  "  Take  hold  of 
my  strength."  You  must  begin  to  pray  after  another  fashion  than 
you  have  done.  Let  it  be  real  intercourse  with  God,  like  Heze- 
kiah,  Jacob,  Moses,  &c. 

4.  B]/  not  offending  Him. — 1^^,  By  sloth.  When  the  soul  turns 
sleepy  or  careless,  Christ  goes  away.  Nothing  is  more  offensive 
to  Chiist  than  sloth.  Love  is  an  ever-active  thing,  and  when  it  is 
in  the  heart  it  will  keep  us  waking.  Many  a  night  his  love  to  us 
kept  him  waking.  Now,  can  you  not  watch  with  him  one  hour? 
Song  v.,  2.  2d,  By  idols.  You  cannot  hold  two  objects.  If  you 
are  holding  Christ  to-day,  and  lay  hold  of  another  object  to-morrow, 
he  cannot  stay.  He  is  a  jealous  God.  You  cannot  keep  worldly 
companions  and  Christ  too.  "  A  companion  of  fools  shall  be  de- 
stroyed." When  the  ark  came  into  the  house  of  Dagon,  it  made 
the  idol  fall  flat.  Zd,  By  being  unwilling  to  be  sanctified.  When 
Christ  chooses  us,  and  draws  us  to  himself,  it  is  that  he  may  sanc- 
tify us.  Christ  is  often  grieved  away,  by  our  desiring  to  reserve 
one  sin.  Alh,  By  an  unholy  house.  "  I  brought  him  into  my 
mother's  house."  Remember  to  take  Christ  home  with  you,  and 
let  him  rule  in  your  house.  If  you  walk  with  Christ  abroad  but 
never  take  him  home,  you  will  soon  part  company  for  ever. 


SERMON  XXI. 

"  To  whom  God  would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this  mystery 
among  the  Gentiles  ;  which  is  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory." — Colossians  i.,  27. 

The  gospel  is  here  described  as  "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory." 
There  are  two  distinct  senses  in  which  these  words  may  be  taken, 


112  SERMON    XXI. 

and  I  cannot  positively  determine  which  is  the  true  one.     It  is 
possible  that  both  may  be  intended.     I  shall  open  up  both. 

I.  Christ  in  you,  means  Christ  embraced  by  faith  as  our  right- 
eousness and  strength  ;  and  this  is  the  sure  ground  upon  which  we 
hope  for  glory.  In  this  sense  it  appears  to  be  used,  Ephes.  iii.,  17, 
"  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith."  When  a  sin- 
ner's heart  is  opened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  the  beauty  and 
excellence  of  the  Saviour  is  shown  to  him,  the  heart  inwardly 
embraces  and  cleaves  to  Christ.  Every  new  discovery  of  Christ 
to  the  soul  renews  this  act  of  inward  cleaving  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Every  reproach,  every  temptation,  every  fall  into  sin,  every  be- 
reavement, makes  the  soul  more  really,  firmly,  and  fully  embrace 
the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  so,  by  continual  faith,  Christ  may  be  said  to 
dwell  in  the  heart ;  asin  Ephes.  iii.,  17,  "  That  Christ  may  dwell  in 
your  heart  by  faith."  Christ  thus  embraced  is  the  hope  of  glory. 
It  is  this  constant  abiding  faith  ;  this  close  embracing  of  Christ  as 
all  our  righteousness  ;  it  is  this  which  gives  a  calm,  sweet,  full, 
peaceful  hope  of  glory.  The  soul  that  can  say,  Christ  is  mine, 
can  also  say.  Glory  is  mine;  for  we  need  nothing  but  Christ  to 
shelter  us  in  the  judgment-day.  Can  you  say  that  Christ  is  thus 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory  ?  If  you  have  not  got  Christ,  you  have 
no  good  hope  of  glory. 

II.  Christ  formed  in  the  soul  hy  the  Spirit. — See  Gal.  iv,,  19. 
Christ  formed  in  the  soul  is  also  the  hope  of  glory  ;  and  this  I 
take  to  be  the  full  meaning  of  this  verse.  So,  John  xv.,  4,  "  Abide 
in  me  and  I  in  you  ;"  John  xvii.,  23,  "  I  in  them  and  thou  in  me  ;" 
v.,  26,  "  And  I  in  them." 

1.  The  mind  of  Christ  is  formed  in  the  soul;  1  Cor.  ii.,  16, 
"  We  have  the  mind  of  Christ."  By  the  mind  I  understand  the 
thinking  powers  of  man.  Now,  every  believer  has  the  mind  of 
Christ  formed  in  him,  He  thinks  as  Christ  does,  "  This  is  the 
spirit  of  a  sound  mind,"  2  Tim.  i.,  7.  This  is  being  of  the  same 
mind  in  the  Lord.  I  do  not  mean  that  a  believer  has  the  same 
all-seeing  mind,  the  same  infallible  judgment  concerning  every- 
thing as  Christ  has;  but  up  to  his  light  he  sees  things  as  Christ 
does. 

He  sees  sin  as  Christ  does.  Christ  sees  sin  to  be  evil  and  bitter. 
He  sees  it  to  be  filthy  and  abominable  ;  its  pleasures  all  a  delusion. 
He  sees  it  to  be  awfully  dangerous.  He  sees  the  inseparable  con- 
nexion between  sin  and  suffering.     So  does  a  believer. 

He  sees  the  Gospel  as  Christ  does.  Christ  sees  amazing  glory 
in  the  Gospel.  The  way  of  salvation  which  he  himself  has  wrought 
out.  It  appears  a  most  complete  salvation  to  him,  most  free,  most 
glorifying  to  God  and  happy  for  man.     So  does  the  believer. 

He' sees  the  world  as  Christ  does.  Christ  knows  what  is  in 
man.     He  looked  on  this  world  as  vanity,  compared  with  the 


SERMON    XXI.  113 

gmile  of  his  Father.     Its  riches,  its  honors,  its  pleasures,  appeared 
not  worth  a  sigh.    He  saw  it  passing  away.    So  does  the  beUever. 

He  sees  time  as  Christ  did.  "  I  must  work  the  work  of  him  that 
sent  me  while  it  is  day  ;  the  night  cometh,"  "  I  come  quickly."  So 
does  a  believer  look  at  time. 

He  sees  eternity  as  Christ  does.  Christ  looked  at  everything  in 
the  light  of  eternity.  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions." 
Everything  is  valuable  in  Christ's  eyes,  only  as  it  bears  on  eternity. 
So  with  believers. 

2.  The  heart  of  Christ. — By  the  heart  I  mean  the  affections,  that 
part  of  us  that  loves  or  hates,  hopes  and  fears.  We  have  Christ's 
heart  formed  in  us,  "  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,"  "  I  in  you," 
"  My  words  abide  in  you." 

\st,  The  same  love  to  God. — What  intense  delight  Jesus  had  in 
his  father  !  "  Righteous  Father,  the  world  hath  not  known  thee, 
but  I  have  known  thee,"  "  I  am  not  alone,  for  the  Father  is  with 
me,"  "  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,"  "  Abba  Father,"  •'  Father,  into  thy 
hand  I  commend  my  spirit."     So  with  every  believer. 

2d,  The  same  aversion  to  God's  frown. — Psalm  xxii.,  1,  *'  Why 
hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  verse  15.  "Thou  hast  brought  me  into 
the  dust  of  death  ;"  Psalm  Ixxxviii.,  7,  "  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard  upon 
me  ;"  Psalm  cii.,  10,  ''  Thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  cast  me  down." 
So  with  the  children  of  God.  Psalm  xlii.  9,  "  I  will  say  unto  God 
my  rock.  Why  hast  thou  forgotten  me  ?" 

3fi?,  The  same  love  to  saints. — Psalm  xvi.,  3,  "  To  the  saints 
that  are  in  the  earth,  and  to  the  excellent,  in  whom  is  all  my 
delight ;"  John  xiii.,  1,  "  Having  loved  his  own  which  were  in  the 
world,  he  loved  them  to  the  end;"  John  xv.,  13,  "  Greater  love 
hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends  ;" 
John  xiv.,  3,  "  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to  myself;" 
Acts  ix.,  4,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?"  So  it  is 
with  all  true  believers.     Every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God. 

4^A,  Compassion  to  sinners. — This  was  the  main  feature  of 
Christ's  character.  This  brought  him  from  heaven  to  die.  This 
made  him  weep  over  Jerusalem,  long  to  gather  her  children.  This 
makes  him  delay  his  coming,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish. 
2  Peter  iii.,  9.  All  Christ's  own  are  like  him  in  this.  The  same 
heart  throbs  within  them. 

bth,  Tenderness  to  the  awakened. — "  He  will  not  break  the 
bruised  reed."  O  the  tenderness  of  the  lips  that  said,  "  Come 
unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden."  Such  are  all 
Christians. 

.3.  The  life  of  Chnst. — They  live  the  same  life  in  the  main  that 
Christ  did  in  the  world.  Though  they  have  many  falls,  wax  cold, 
&c.,  still  the  main  current  of  their  life  is  Christ  living  in  them. 
Gal.  ii.,  20,  "  Christ  liveth in  me  ;"  2  Cor.  vi.,  16,  "I  will  dwell  in 
them,  and  walk  in  them." 

Bearing  reproaches. — 1  Peter  ii.,  23,   "  When  he  was  reviled, 
d 


114  SERMON    XXI. 

he  reviled  not  again  ;  when  he  suffered,  he  threatened  not." 
Christ  felt  reproach  keenly,  "  Reproach  hath  broken  mine  heart." 
Still  he  reviled  no  man,  but  prayed  for  them.     So  beUevers. 

In  doing  good. — "  He  went  about  doing  good."  He  made  this 
his  meat  and  drink.  So  will  all  who  have  Christ  formed  in 
them.  They  do  good,  and  to  communicate  forget  not.  They 
are  the  almoners  of  the  world.  "  They  parted  to  all  men/ 
Acts  ii.,  45. 

In  being  separate  from  sinners. — Christ  walked  through  the 
midst  of  sinners  undefiled.  Like  a  beam  of  light  piercing  into  a 
foul  dungeon,  or  like  a  river  purifying  and  fertilizing,  itself  untaint- 
ed, so  did  Christ  pass  through  this  world  ;  and  so  do  all  his  own. 
Ps.  ci.,  4,  "  I  will  not  know  a  wicked  person." 

But  how  is  it  that  Christ  formed  in  us  is  the  hope  of  glory  ? — 
1st,  Not  legally.  Christ  in  the  soul  is  not  our  title  to  glory.  We 
must  have  a  complete  righteousness  to  be  our  title  ;  but  Christ  in 
the  soul  is  not  complete.  Most  are  sadly  deficient  in  many  of  the 
main  features  of  Christ.  It  is  Christ  for  us,  laid  hold  on  by  faith, 
that  is  our  title  to  glory.  Christ  our  wedding  garment — the  Lord 
our  righteousness  ;  this,  and  this  alone,  can  give  us  boldness  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  2c?,  Still  really  it  is  so.  (1.)  It  is  evidence 
that  we  have  believed  on  Christ.  A  man  may  know  that  he  has 
believed  on  Christ  without  any  evidences.  "  He  that  believes  has 
the  witness  in  himself."  But  if  a  man  has  believed,  the  effects  will 
soon  be  seen.  Christ  will  be  formed  in  him,  and  then  he  will  have 
double  evidence  that  Christ  is  his.  "  He  that  lacketh  these  things 
is  blind,"  2  Pet.  i.,  9.  (2.)  It  is  meetness  for  glory.  A  holy  be- 
liever feels  heaven  begun.  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you." 
He  can  say,  Now  1  know  1  shall  soon  be  in  heaven,  for  it  is 
already  begun  in  me.  Christ  lives  in  me.  I  shall  soon  be  for  ever 
with  the  Lord. 

Improvement. — 1.  Have  you  got  the  legal  tillc  to  glory  ? — 
Christ  dwelling  in  you  by  faith.  You  have  heard  how  those  who 
are  enlightened  by  God  embrace  Christ,  and  put  him  on  abidingly 
for  righteousness.  Have  you  done  so  ?  Have  you  put  on  Christ  I 
This  IS  the  only  legal  title  to  glory.  If  you  have  not  this,  your 
hope  is  a  dream. 

2.  Have  you  got  the  meetness  for  glory  1 — Christ  formed  in  you. 
Does  Christ  live  in  you,  and  walk  in  you  \  "  Without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

Dundee,  1843. 

He  writes  at  the  close  of  his  notes  after  sermon — "Very  sweet  and  solemn  night." 


SERMON    XXII.  115 


SERMON  XXII. 

A    CASTAWAY. 

••  I  therefore  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly ;  so  fight  I,  not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air : 
But  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection  ;  lest  that  by  any  means, 
when  I  have  preatjhed  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  castaway." — 1  Cor.  ix., 
26,  27. 

Observe,  1.  How  earnestly  Paul  sought  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— Verse  26,  *'  I  therefore  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly ;  so  fight  I, 
not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air."  It  was  long  after  his  conversion 
that  Paul  writes  in  this  manner.  He  could  say,  "  To  me  to  live 
is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain."'  He  felt  it  better  to  depart  and  be 
with  Christ.  He  knew  there  was  a  crown  laid  up  for  him  ;  and 
yet  see  how  earnest  he  was  to  advance  in  the  divine  life.  He 
was  like  one  at  the  Grecian  games  running  for  a  prize.  This  is 
the  way  all  converted  persons  should  seek  salvation.  "  So  run 
that  ye  may  obtain."  It  is  common  for  many  to  sit  down  after 
conversion,  and  say,  I  am  safe,  I  do  not  need  to  strive  any  more. 
But  Paul  pressed  toward  the  mark. 

2.  One  particular  in  which  he  was  very  earnest. — "  I  keep  under 
my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection."  He  had  observed  in  the 
Grecian  games,  that  those  who  were  to  run  and  fight,  were  very 
attentive  to  this,  verse  25,  "  And  every  man  that  striveth  for  the 
mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things."  This  was  one  thing  that 
Paul  strove  for,  to  be  temperate  in  all  things,  especially  in  eating 
and  drinking,  "  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection." 

3.  His  reason  for  all  this  earnestness. — "  Lest  when  I  have 
preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  castaway."  Not  that 
Paul  had  not  an  assurance  of  his  salvation ;  but  he  felt  deeply  that 
his  high  office  in  the  Church  would  not  save  him,  although  he  was 
one  of  the  Apostles — the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles — one  that  had 
labored  more  than  all  the  rest  ;  though  many  had  been  converted 
under  his  ministry,  he  knew  that  still  that  would  not  keep  him  from 
being  a  castaway.  Judas  had  preached  to  others  and  yet  was  cast 
away.  Paul  felt  also  that  if  he  lived  a  wicked  life  he  would  surely 
be  cast  away.  He  knew  there  was  an  indissoluble  connexion 
between  living  in  sin  and  being  cast  away :  and,  therefore,  it  was 
a  constant  motive  to  him  to  holy  diligence.  What  he  feared  was 
being  "  a  castaway."  The  word  is  frequently  translated  "  re- 
probate." It  is  taken  from  the  trying  of  metals  ;  the  dross,  or  part 
that  is  thrown  away,  is  said  to  be  reprobate  or  cast  away. 

What  is  it  to  be  cast  away  ? 

I.  Wicked  men  shall  he  cast  away  from  God. — Mat.  xxv.,  41, 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed ;"  2  Thess.  i,,  9,  "  Who  shall  be 
punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power." 


1  16  SERMON    XXII. 

.1.  Away  from  Christ. — At  present  ungodly  men  are  often  near 
to  Christ.  Christ  stands  at  their  door  and  knocks.  He  stretches 
out  his  hands  to  them  all  the  day  long.  He  speaks  to  them  in  the 
Bible  and  the  preached  gospel.  He  says,  Come  unto  me,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest.  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  nowise 
cast  out.  But  when  Christ  pronounces  that  sentence,  "  Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,"  there  will  not  be  one  knock  more,  not  one 
Invitation  more,  not  one  sweet  offer  more.  Christ  is  the  only  way 
to  the  Father ;  but  it  shall  then  be  closed  for  ever.  Christ  is  the 
only  door ;  but  it  shall  then  be  shut  for  ever  more.  It  is  the 
blessedness  of  the  redeemed  that  they  shall  be  with  Christ.  "  To- 
day shalt  thou  be  with  me."  Having  a  desire  to  be  absent  from 
the  body  and  present  with  the  Lord.  So  shall  they  be  ever  with 
the  Lord.  His  servants  shall  serve  him,  and  they  shall  see  his  face. 
It  is  this  that  maintains  the  eternal  calm  in  the  bosom  of  the  re- 
deemed. But  the  ungodly  shall  be  cast  away  from  all  this. 
♦'  Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him  into  utter  darkness." 

2.  Away  from  God. — True,  the  wicked  can  never  be  cast  away 
from  the  presence  of  God.  Ps.  cxxxix.,  8,  "  If  I  make  my  bed 
in  hell,  behold  thou  art  there."  Job  says,  "  Hell  is  naked  before 
him,  and  destruction  hath  no  covering."  (xxvi.,  6.)  His  almighty 
power  creates  it ;  His  breath  kindles  it.  Isaiah  xxx.,  33,  "  The 
breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone,  doth  kindle  it." 
But  they  shall  be  banished. 

\st,  From  the  fruition  of  God. — God  said  to  Abraham,  "I  am 
thy  shield  and  thine  exceeding  great  reward."  God  makes  him- 
self over  to  the  believing  soul,  saying,  I  will  be  thy  God.  David 
says,  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever. 
Who  can  tell  the  joy  of  those  who  enjoy  God,  who  have  God, 
the  infinite  God,  as  their  portion  1  From  this  the  Christless  shall 
be  cast  away.  You  will  have  no  portion  in  God.  God  will  not 
be  your  God.     His  attributes  will  be  all  against  you. 

2(/,  From  the  favor  of  God. — "  In  thy  favor  is  life."  The  favor 
of  God  is  what  believers  feel  on  earth.  A  beam  of  God's  coun- 
tenance is  enough  to  fill  the  heart  of  a  believer  to  overflowing. 
It  is  enough  to  light  up  the  pale  cheek  of  a  dying  saint  with 
seraphic  brightness,  and  make  the  heart  of  the  lone  widow  sing 
for  joy.  From  all  this  the  Christless  shall  be  cast  away  for  ever ; 
and  instead  of  it  Jehovah's  frown  shall  light  on  them  for  ever 
"  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God." 

3c?,  Cast  away  from  the  blessing  of  God. — God  is  the  fountai/i 
of  all  blessing.  No  creature  is  good  or  pleasant  any  more  than 
God  makes  it  to  be  so.  The  sun  warms  us,  our  food  nourishes 
us,  our  friends  are  pleasant  to  us ;  because  God  makes  them  so. 
All  the  joys  in  the  world  are  but  beams  from  that  uncreated  light ; 
but  separate  a  man  from  God,  and  all  becomes  dark.  God  is  the 
fountain  of  all  joy  ;  separate  a  man  from  God  finally,  and  no 
creature  can  give  him  joy.     This  is  to  be  cast  away,  cut  off,  from 


SERMON   XXII.  117 

God  for  ever.     Though  there  were  no  lake  of  fire,  this  of  itself 
would  be  hell. 

II.  Wicked  men  shall  be  cast  away  by  the  Holy  Spirit. — It  is  not 
often  thought  of,  but  it  is  true,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  now  dealing 
and  striving  with  natural  men.  All  the  decency  and  morality  of 
unconverted  men  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  restraining  grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

1.  The  Holy  Spirit  works  on  natural  men  through  the  ordinan- 
ces.— The  ordinance  of  family  worship  is  often  greatly  blessed  to 
restrain  wicked  children,  so  that  they  are  kept  from  vicious 
courses  and  outbreaking  sins.  The  ordinance  of  the  read  and 
preached  Word  is  also  greatly  blessed  in  this  way  to  restrain 
wicked  men.  The  awful  threatenings  of  the  Word,  the  sweet 
invitations  and  promises  of  the  gospel,  have  this  effect  on  uncon- 
verted men,  that  they  are  greatly  restrained  from  going  to  extreme 
lengths  in  wickedness. 

2.  The  Holy  Spirit  also  works  through  providences  in  restrain- 
ing wicked  men. — He  places  them  in  such  circumstances  that  they 
cannot  sin  as  they  would  otherwise  do.  He  often  reduces  them  to 
poverty,  so  that  they  cannot  run  into  the  vices  they  were  inclined 
unto ;  or  he  lays  sickness  on  their  body,  so  that  their  keen  relish 
for  sin  is  greatly  blunted  ;  or  he  terrifies  them  by  bereavements, 
so  that  they  are  kept  in  the  bondage  of  fear,  and  dare  not  sin  with 
so  high  a  hand  as  they  would  otherwise  do. 

3.  The  Holy  Spirit  also  restrains  through  convictions  of  sin. — 
Many  men  have  deep  wounds  of  conviction  who  are  never  saved. 
Many  are  pierced  with  arrows  of  the  Word  from  time  to  time, 
and  thus  are  driven  away  from  their  wicked  companions  ;and 
scared  from  open  sin.  Restraining  grace  is  an  amazing  work  of 
God.  It  is  more  wonderful  than  his  setting  a  bound  to  the  sea 
that  it  cannot  pass  over.  Think  what  a  hell  every  unconverted 
bosom  would  become,  if  the  Spirit  were  to  withdraw  and  give 
men  over  to  their  own  hearts'  lusts.  Think  what  a  hell  an  uncon- 
verted family  would  become,  if  the  Spirit  were  to  withdraw  his 
bands.  What  hatreds,  strifes,  murders,  parricides  would  take 
place  1  Think  what  a  hell  this  town  would  become,  if  every 
Christless  man  wei'e  given  over  to  the  lusts  of  his  own  heart. 

Now  this  is  to  be  a  castaway.  Gen.  vi.,  3,  "  My  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  man."  The  Holy  Spirit,  I  believe,  strives 
with  all  men ;  Acts  vii.,  51,  "  Ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ;" 
but  he  will  not  always  strive.  When  the  day  of  grace  is  done, 
when  the  sinner  sinks  into  hell,  the  Spirit  will  strive  no  more. 

1st,  The  Spirit  will  strive  no  more  through  ordinances.  Thei-e 
will  be  no  family  worship  in  hell,  no  Bible  read,  no  Psalms  sung. 
There  will  be  no  Sabbath  in  hell,  no  preached  gospel,  no  watch- 
men to  warn  you  of  your  sin  and  danger.     The  voice  of  the 


118  SERMON   xxir. 

watchman  will  be  silent,  the  danger  has  come,  your  doom  will  be 
past,  and  no  room  for  repentance. 

2c?,  The  Spirit  will  no  more  strive  through  providences.  There 
will  be  no  more  poverty  or  riches,  no  more  sickness  or  bereave- 
ments, no  kindly  providences  restraining  the  soul  from  sin, 
nothing  but  anguish  and  despair  unutterable. 

Sd,  There  will  be  no  more  convictions  by  the  Spirit.  Con- 
science will  condemn,  but  it  will  not  restrain.  Your  hearts  will 
then  break  out.  All  your  hatred  to  God,  the  fountains  of  con- 
tempt and  blasphemy  in  your  heart  will  be  all  broken  up.  You 
will  blaspheme  the  God  of  Heaven.  All  your  lusts  and  impurities 
that  have  been  pent  up  and  restrained  by  restraining  grace  and 
the  fear  of  man,  will  burst  forth  with  amazing  impetuosity.  You 
will  be  as  wicked  and  blasphemous  as  the  devils  around  you. 

O  the  misery  of  this  !  it  is  an  evil  thing  and  bitter.  The  way 
of  transgressors  is  hard.  Ah !  sinners,  you  will  yet  find  sin  the 
hardest  of  all  masters ;  you  will  yet  find  your  grovelling  lusts  to 
be  worse  than  the  worm  that  never  dies.  '•  He  that  is  unjust,  let 
him  be  unjust  still;''  Rev.  xxii.,  11. 

III.  Wicked  men  shall  be  cast  away  by  all  the  creatures. — The 
state  of  unconverted  men  at  present,  although  a  very  dreadful 
one,  is  yet  not  hopeless.  The  angels  watch  the  unconverted,  to 
see  if  there  is  any  sign  of  repentance.  It  is  believed  that  the 
holy  angels  are  present  in  the  assembly  of  God's  worshippers. 
1  Tim.  v.,  21.  And  if  so,  no  doubt  they  watch  your  faces,  to  see 
if  a  tear  starts  into  your  eye,  or  a  prayer  trembles  on  your  lip. 
There  would  be  joy  this  day  among  the  angels,  if  one  sinner  was 
to  repent. 

The  redeemed  on  earth  are  peculiarly  interested  in  unconverted 
souls.  They  pray  for  them  night  and  day,  many  of  them  with 
tears  ;  many  a  child  of  God  wets  his  pillow  with  tears  in  behalf 
of  perishing  souls.  Jeremiah  wept  in  secret  places  for  their  pride. 
David  says.  Rivers  of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes.  They  seek 
your  conversion  more  than  any  personal  benefit.  Ministers  are 
set  apart  to  seek  after  lost  and  perishing  souls.  "  Go  rather  to  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  If  ministers  are  like  their 
Master,  this  will  be  their  great  errand,  that  by  all  means  we  may 
save  some.  But  when  the  day  of  grace  is  past,  all  holy  creatures 
will  cast  you  away.  Reprobate  silver  shall  men  call  them,  for 
the  Lord  hath  rejected  them. 

The  angels  will  no  longer  take  any  interest  in  you.  They  will 
know  that  it  is  not  fit  they  should  pity  you  any  more.  You  will 
be  tormented  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lamb. 

The  redeemed  will  no  longer  pray  for  you,  nor  shed  another 
tear  for  you.  They  will  see  you  condemned  in  the  judgment, 
and  not  put  in  one  word  for  you.     They  will  see  you  depart  into 


SERMON    XXII.  119 

everlasting  fire,  and  yet  not  pray  for  you.  They  will  see  the 
smoke  of  your  torments  going  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  yet  cry, 
Alleluiah ! 

Ministers  will  no  more  desire  your  salvation.  It  will  no  more 
be  their  work.  The  number  of  the  saved  will  be  complete  with- 
out you ;  the  table  will  be  full.  Ministers  will  bear  witness 
against  you  in  that  day. 

Even  devils  will  cast  you  off.  As  long  as  you  remain  on  earth, 
the  devil  keeps  you  in  his  train  ;  he  flatters  you,  and  gives  you 
many  tokens  of  his  friendship  and  esteem ;  but  soon  he  will  cast 
you  off'.  You  will  be  no  longer  pleasant  to  him ;  you  will  be  a 
part  of  his  torment ;  and  he  will  hate  you  and  torment  you, 
because  you  deceived  him,  and  he  deceived  you. 

IV.  Wicked  men  shall  be  cast  away  by  themselves. — It  is  said, 
they  shall  wish  to  die,  and  shall  not  be  able.  They  shall  seek 
death,  and  death  shall  flee  from  them.  I  believe  that  some  suicides 
experience  the  beginnings  of  hell.  I  believe  Judas  did  ;  he  could 
not  bear  himself,  and  he  tried  to  cast  himself  away.  This  will  be 
the  feeling  of  lost  souls.  They  will  not  be  able  to  bear  the  sight 
of  themselves ;  they  will  be  weary  of  being;  they  will  wish  they 
had  never  been.  At  present,  unconverted  men  are  often  very 
self-complacent.  They  love  to  employ  their  faculties  ;  the  wheels 
of  their  life  go  smoothly  ;  their  affections  are  pleasant.  Memory 
has  many  pleasant  green  spots  to  look  back  upon.  How  different 
when  the  day  of  grace  is  done  !  1.  The  understanding  will  be 
clear  and  full  to  apprehend  the  real  nature  of  your  misery.  Your 
mind  will  then  see  the  holiness  of  God,  his  almightiness,  his  ma- 
jesty. You  will  see  your  own  condemned  condition,  and  the 
depth  of  your  hell.  2.  The  will  in  you  will  be  all  contrary  to 
God's  will,  even  though  you  see  it  add  to  your  hell ;  yet  you  will 
hate  all  that  God  loves,  and  love  all  that  God  hates.  3.  Your 
conscience  is  God's  vicegerent  in  the  soul.  It  will  accuse  you  of 
all  your  sins.  It  will  set  them  in  order  and  condemn  you.  4. 
Your  affections  will  still  love  your  kindred.  "  I  have  five  bre- 
thren," you  will  say.  Earthly  fathers  who  are  evil  know  how  to 
give  good  gifts  to  their  children.  Even  in  hell  you  will  love  your 
own  kindred  ;  but  ah !  what  misery  it  will  cost  you,  when  you 
hear  them  sentenced  along  with  you.  5.  Your  memory  will  be 
very  clear.  You  will  remember  all  your  misspent  Sabbaths, 
your  sermons  heard,  as  if  you  did  not  hear ;  your  place  in  the 
house  of  God,  your  minister's  foce  and  voice,  the  bell ;  through 
millions  of  ages  after  this,  you  will  remember  these,  as  if  yester- 
day. 6.  Your  anticipations.  Everlasting  despair.  O  how  you 
will  wish  you  had  never  been  !  How  you  will  wish  to  tear  out 
your  memory,  these  tender  affections,  this  accusing  conscience  ! 
You  will  seek  death,  and  it  will  flee  from  you.  This,  this  is  to  be 
lost !     This  is  everlasting  destruction  !     This  is  to  be  a  castaway. 


120  SERMON    XXIII, 

Lessons. — 1.  Let  believers  learn  Paul's  earnest  diligence.  A 
wicked  life  will  end  in  being  a  castaway.  These  two  are  linked 
together,  and  no  man  can  sunder  them. 

2.  Hell  will  be  intolerable.  I  have  not  spoken  of  the  lake  of 
fire,  of  the  utter  darkness,  and  the  worm  that  never  dies.  I  have 
spoken  only  of  the  mental  facts  of  hell  ;  and  yet  these  by  them- 
selves are  intolerable.  O  who  can  tell  what  it  will  be  when  both 
meet,  and  meet  eternally  ?  "  Who  knows  the  power  of  thine 
anger  ?"  O  do  not  keep  away  from  Christ  now.  Now  he  says, 
Come  ;  soon,  soon  he  will  say.  Depart.  O  do  not  resist  the  Holy 
Spirit  now.  Now  he  strives,  but  he  will  not  always  strive  with 
you.  Soon,  soon  he  will  leave  you.  O  do  not  despise  the  word 
of  ministers  and  godly  friends.  Now  they  plead  with  you,  weep 
for  you,  pray  for  you.  Soon,  soon  they  will  be  silent  as  the  grave, 
or  sing  halleluiah  to  see  you  lost.  O  do  not  be  proud  and  self-admir- 
ing. Soon  you  will  loathe  the  very  sight  of  yourself,  and  wish 
you  had  never  been. 

3.  The  amazing  love  of  Christ  in  bearing  all  this  for  sinners. 
Christ  is  a  wrath-bearing  surety.  All  that  is  included  in  being 
a  castaway  he  bore.     Amen. 

January,  1S43. 


SERMON  XXIII. 

A  COMMUNION  SABBATH  IN  ST.  PETER'S. 

1.    SERMON. 

"  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am : 
that  they  may  behold  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me  :  for  thou  lovedst  me 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world. — John  xvii.,  24. 

I.  The  manner  of  this  prayej-. — "  Father,  I  will."  This  is  the 
most  wonderful  prayer  that  ever  rose  from  this  earth  to  the  throne 
of  God,  and  this  petition  is  the  most  wonderful  in  the  prayer.  No 
human  lips  ever  prayed  thus  before — "  Father,  I  will."  Abraham 
was  the  friend  of  God,  and  got  very  near  to  God  in  prayer,  but  he 
prayed  as  dust  and  ashes.  *'  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto 
God  that  am  but  dust  and  ashes."  Jacob  had  power  with  God,  and 
prevailed,  yet  his  boldest  word  was,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go  except 
thou  bless  me."  Daniel  was  a  man  greatly  beloved,  and  got  im- 
mediate answers  to  prayer,  and  yet  he  cried  to  God  as  a  sinner — 
"  O  Lord,  hear  !  O  Lord,  forgive  !  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do  !" 
Paul  was  a  man  who  got  very  near  to  God,  and  yet  he  says.  "  I 
bow  my  knees  to  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
But  when  Christ  prayed,  he  cried, "  Father,  I  will."     Why  did  he 


SERMON    XX/II.  121 

pray  thus  ?  He  was  God's  fellow.  "  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my 
shepherd,  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow."  He  thought  it  no 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  It  was  he  that  said,  "  Let  there 
be  light,  and  there  was  light."     So  now  he  says,  "  Father,  I  will," 

He  spoke  as  the  Intercessor  with  the  Father. — He  felt  as  if  his 
work  were  already  done — "  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou 
gavest  me  to  do."  He  felt  as  if  he  had  already  suffered  the  cross, 
and  now  claims  the  crown.  "  Father,  I  will."  This  is  the  inter- 
cession now  heard  in  heaven. 

He  had  one  will  with  the  Father. — "  I  and  my  Father  are  one." 
One  God — one  in  heart  and  will.  True,  he  had  a  -holy  human 
soul,  and,  therefore,  a  human  will ;  but  his  human  will  was  one 
with  his  divine  will.  The  human  string  in  his  heart  was  tuned  to 
the  same  string  with  his  divine  will. 

Learn  how  surely  this  prayer  will  be  answered,  dear  children 
of  God.  It  is  impossible  this  prayer  should  be  unanswered.  It  is 
the  will  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.  If  Christ  wills  it,  and  if  the 
Father  wills  it,  you  may  be  sure  nothing  can  hinder  it.  If  the 
sheep  be  in  Christ's  hand,  and  in  the  Father's  hand,  they  shall 
never  perish. 

II.  For  whom  he  prays. — "  They  also  whom  thou  hast  given 
me."  Six  times  in  this  chapter  does  Christ  call  his  people  by  this 
name — "  They  whom  thou  hast  given  me."  It  seems  to  have  been 
a  favorite  word  of  Christ,  especially  when  cai'rying  them  on  his 
heart  before  the  Father.  The  reason  seems  to  be  that  he  would 
remind  the  Father  that  they  are  as  much  the  Father's  as  they  are 
his  own  ;  that  the  Father  has  the  same  interest  in  them  that  he 
has  ;  having  given  them  to  him  before  the  world  was.  And  so 
he  repeats  it  in  verse  10,  "  All  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are 
mine."  Before  the  world  was,  the  Father  chose  a  people  out  of 
this  world  ;  he  gave  them  into  the  hand  of  Christ,  charging  him 
not  to  lose  one,  to  bear  their  sins  on  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  to 
raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.  And,  accordingly,  he  says,  "  Of  all 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  have  I  lost  none."  Is  there  any  mark 
on  those  who  are  given  to  Christ  ?  They  are  no  better  than 
others.  Sometimes  he  chooses  the  worst.  A.  Yes.  "  All  that 
the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me."  One  of  the  sure  marks 
of  all  that  were  given  to  Christ  is  that  they  come  to  Jesus — "  They 
all  come  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling."  Are  you  come  to  Christ?  Has  your  heart 
been  opened  to  receive  Christ?  Has  Christ  been  made  precious 
to  you? — then  you  may  be  quite  sure  you  were  given  to  Christ 
before  the  world  was.  Your  name  is  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life, 
and  your  name  is  on  the  breastplate  of  Christ.  It  is  for  you  he 
prays,  "  Father,  I  will  that  that  soul  be  with  me."  Christ  will 
never  lose  you.  The  Father  which  gave  you  to  him  is  greater 
than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  you  out  of  the  Father's  hand. 


122  SERMON   XXIII. 

III.  The  Argument — "  For  thou  lovest  me."  He  reminds  the 
Father  of  his  love  to  him  before  the  world  was.  When  there  was 
no  earth,  no  sun,  no  man,  no  angel — when  he  was  by  him — then 
thou  lovcst  me.  Who  can  understand  this  love,  the  love  of  the 
uncreated  God  to  his  uncreated  Son  1  The  love  of  Jonathan  to 
David  was  very  great,  surpassing  the  love  of  women.  The  love 
of  a  believer  to  Christ  is  very  great,  for  they  see  him  to  be  alto- 
gether lovely.  The  love  of  a  holy  angel  to  God  is  very  ardent, 
for  they  are  like  a  flame  of  fire.  But  these  are  all  creature  loves  ; 
these  are  but  streams ;  but  the  love  of  God  to  his  Son  is  an  ocean 
of  love.  There  is  everything  in  Christ  to  draw  the  love  of  his 
Father.  Now  discern  his  argument — If  thou  love  me  do  this  for 
my  people. 

Just  as  he  said  to  Paul,  "Why  persecutest  thou  me?"  he  felt 
himself  one  with  his  afflicted  members  on  earth,  Just  as  he  will 
say  at  the  last  day,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of 
these,  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me."  He  reckons  believers  a 
part  of  himself — what  is  done  to  thfem  is  done  to  him.  So  here, 
when  he  carries  them  to  his  Father,  this  is  all  his  argument, — 
"  Thou  lovedstme."  If  thou  love  me,  love  them,  for  they  are  part 
of  me. 

See  how  surely  Christ's  prayer  will  be  answered  for  you,  be- 
loved. He  does  not  plead  that  you  are  good  and  holy ;  he  does 
not  plead  that- you  are  worthy  ;  he  only  pleads  his  own  loveliness 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Father.  Look  not  on  them,  he  says,  but  look  on 
me.     Thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

Learn  to  use  the  same  argument  with  God,  dear  believers. 
This  is  asking  in  Christ's  name — for  the  Lord's  sake — this  is  the 
prayer  that  is  never  refused.  See  that  you  do  not  come  in  your 
own  name,  else  you  will  be  cast  out. 

Come  thus  to  his  table.  Say  to  the  Father,  accept  me,  for  thou 
lovedst  him  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

IV.   Tlie  prayer  itself.     Two  parts. 

L  "  That  they  may  be  with  me."  (I.)  What  he  does  not  mean. — 
He  does  not  mean  that  we  should  be  presently  taken  out  of  this 
world.  Some  of  you  that  have  come  to  Christ  may  this  day  be 
favored  with  so  much  of  his  presence,  and  of  the  love  of  the  Father 
— so  much  of  the  joy  of  heaven,  and  such  a  dread  of  going  back 
to  betray  Christ  in  the  world — that  you  may  be  wishing  that  this 
house  were  indeed  the  gate  of  heaven — you  may  desire  that  you 
might  be  translated  from  the  table  below  at  once  to  the  table 
above.  "  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart 
and  be  with  Christ."  Still  Christ  does  not  wish  that.  "  I  pray 
not  that  thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  thou  shouldst 
keep  them  from  the  evil."  "  Whither  I  go  thou  canst  not  follow  me 
now."  (Like  that  woman  in  Brainerd's  journal —  "  O  blessed 
Lord,  do  come  I  O  do  take  me  away ;  do  let  me  die  and  go  to 


SERMON   XXIII.  123 

Jesus  Christ.  I  am  afraid  if  I  live  I  shall  sin  again.")  2.  What 
he  does  mean. — He  means  that  when  our  journey  is  done  we 
should  come  to  be  with  him.  Everyone  that  comes  to  Christ  has 
a  journey  to  perform  in  this  world.  Some  have  a  long  and  some 
a  short  one.  It  is  through  a  wilderness.  Still  Christ  prays  that 
at  the  end  you  may  be  with  him.  Every  one  that  comes  to  Christ 
hath  his  twelve  hours  to  fill  up  for  Christ.  I  must  work  the  works 
of  him  that  sent  me  while  it  is  day.  But  when  that  is  done,  Christ 
prays  that  you  may  be  with  him.  He  means  that  you  shall  come 
to  his  Father's  house  with  him.  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions."  You  shall  dwell  in  the  same  house  with  Christ.  You 
are  never  very  intimate  with  a  person  till  you  see  them  in  their 
own  house — till  you  know  them  at  home.  This  is  what  Christ 
wants  with  us — that  we  shall  come  to  be  with  him  at  his  own 
home.  He  wants  us  to  come  to  the  same  Father's  bosom  with 
him.  "  I  ascend  to  my  Father  and  your  Father."  He  wants  us 
to  be  in  the  same  smile  with  him,  to  sit  on  the  same  throne  with 
him,  to  swim  in  the  same  ocean  of  love  with  him. 

Learn  how  certain  it  is  that  you  shall  one  day  soon  be  with 
Christ.  It  is  the  will  of  the  Father ;  it  is  the  will  of  the  Son.  It 
is  the  prayer  of  Christ.  If  you  have  really  been  brought  to 
Christ,  you  shall  never  perish.  You  may  have  many  enemies 
opposing  you  in  your  way  to  glory.  Satan  desii'es  to  have  you, 
that  he  may  sift  you  like  wheat.  Your  worldly  friends  will  do  all 
they  can  to  hinder  you.  Still  you  shall  be  with  Christ..  We  shall 
see  your  face  at  the  table  of  glory.  You  have  a  hard  heart,  an 
unbeUeving  heart,  a  heart  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  despe- 
rately wicked.  You  often  think  your  heart  will  lead  you  to  betray 
Christ.  Still  you  shall  be  with  Christ.  If  you  are  in  Christ  to- 
day, you  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord.  You  have  lived  a  wicked 
life.  You  have  dreadful  sins  to  look  back  upon.  Still  if  you  are 
come  to  Jesus,  this  is  his  word  to  thee,  "  Thou  shalt  be  with  me 
in  paradise."  In  truth,  Christ  cannot  want  you.  You  are  his 
jewels,  his  crown.  Heaven  would  be  no  heaven  to  him,  if  you 
were  not  there.  This  may  give  you  courage  in  coming  to  the 
Lord's  table.  Some  of  you  iear  to  come  to  this  table,  because, 
though  you  cleave  to  Christ  to-day,  you  fear  you  may  betray  him 
to-morrow.  But  you  need  not  fear.  "  He  that  hath  begun  a  good 
work  in  you,  will  perform  it  till  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  You 
shall  sit  at  the  table  above,  where  Christ  himself  shall  be  at  the 
head.     You  need  not  fear  to  come  to  this  table. 

2.  To  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me. — There  are 
three  stages  in  the  glory  of  Christ.  It  will  be  the  employment  of 
heaven  to  behold  them  all. 

1st,  The  original  glory  of  Christ — This  is  his  underived,  un- 
created glory,  as  the  equal  of  the  Father.  It  is  spoken  of  in  Prov. 
viii.,  30,  "  Then  I  was  by  him  as  one  brought  up  with  him  ;  I  was 
daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him."     And,  again,  in 


124  SERMON    XXIII. 

this  prayer,  verse  5,  "  The  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
the  world  was."  Of  this  glory  no  man  can  speak — no  angel — no 
archangel.  One  thing  alone  we  know,  that  we  are  to  honor  the 
Son  even  as  we  honor  the  Father.  He  shared  with  the  Father  in 
being  the  all-perfect  one,  when  there  was  none  to  admire,  none  to 
adore,  no  angels  with  golden  harps,  no  seraphs  to  hymn  his  praise, 
no  cherubim  to  cry,  Huly,  holy,  holy.  Before  all  creatures  were. 
he  was.  One  with  the  infinitely  perfect,  good  and  glorious  God. 
He  was  then  all  that  he  afterwards  showed  himself  to  be.  Crea- 
tion and  redemption  did  not  change  him.  They  only  revealed 
what  he  was  before.  They  only  provided  objects  for  those  beams 
of  glory  to  rest  upon,  that  were  shining  as  fully  before,  from  all 
eternity.  Eternity  will  be  much  taken  up  with  praising  God  that 
ever  he  revealed  himself  at  all ;  that  ever  he  came  out  from  the 
retirement  of  his  lovely  and  blissful  eternity. 

2d,  When  he  became  jlesh. — "  The  Word  was  made  flesh." 
Christ  did  not  get  more  glory  by  becoming  man ;  but  he  mani- 
fested his  glory  in  a  new  way.  He  did  not  gain  one  perfec- 
tion more  by  becoming  man  ;  he  had  all  the  perfections  of  God 
before.  But  now  these  perfections  were  poured  through  a  human 
heart.-  The  almightiness  of  God  now  moved  in  a  human  arm. 
The  infinite  love  of  God  now  beat  in  a  human  heart.  The  com- 
passion of  God  to  sinners  now  glistened  in  a  human  eye.  God 
was  love  before,  but  Christ  was  love  covered  over  with  flesh. 
Just  as  you  have  seen  the  sun  shining  through  a  colored  win- 
dow. It  is  the  same  sunlight  still,  and  yet  it  shines  with  a 
mellowed  lustre.  So  in  Christ  dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily.  The  perfection  of  the  Godhead  shone  through 
every  pore,  through  every  action,  word  and  look — the  same  per- 
fections ;  they  were  only  shining  with  a  mellowed  brightness. 
The  veil  of  the  temple  was  a  type  of  his  flesh  ;  because  it  cover- 
ed the  bright  light  of  the  holiest  of  all.  But  just  as  the  bright 
light  of  the  shechinah  often  shone  through  the  veil,  so  did  the 
Godhead  of  Christ  force  itself  through  the  heart  of  the  man 
Christ  Jesus.  There  were  many  openings  of  the  veil  when  the 
bright  glory  shone  through. 

(1.)  When  he  turned  tfie  water  into  wine. — He  manifested  forth 
his  glory,  and  his  disciples  believed  on  him.  Almighty  power 
spoke  in  a  human  voice  and  the  love  of  God,  too,  shone  in  it ;  for 
he  showed  that  he  came  to  turn  all  our  water  into  wine. 

(2.)  When  he  wept  over  Jerusalem. — That  was  a  great  outlet 
of  his  glory.  There  was  much  that  was  human  in  it.  The 
feet  were  human  that  stood  upon  Mount  Olivet.  The  eyes 
were  human  eyes  that  looked  down  upon  the  dazzling  city.  The 
tears  were  human  tears  that  fell  upon  the  ground.  But  oh,  there 
was  the  tenderness  of  God  beating  beneath  that  mantle.  Look 
and  live,  sinners.  Look  and  live.  Behold  your  God.  He  that 
hath  seen  a  weeping  Christ  hath  seen  the  Father.     This  is  God 


SERMON    XXIII.  125 

manifest  in  the  flesh.  Some  of  you  fear  that  the  Father  does 
not  wish  you  to  come  to  Christ  and  be  saved.  But  see  here,  God 
is  manifest  in  the  flesh.  He  that  hath  seen  Christ  hath  seen  the 
Father.  See  here  the  heart  of  the  Father  and  the  henrt  of  the 
Son  laid  bare.  O  wherefore  should  you  doubt.  Every  one  of 
these  tears  trickles  from  the  heart  of  God. 

(3.)  On  the  cross. — The  wounds  of  Christ  were  the  greatest 
outlets  of  his  glory  that  ever  were.  The  Divine  glory  shone 
more  out  of  his  wounds  than  out  of  all  his  life  before.  The  veil 
was  then  rent  in  twain,  and  the  full  heart  of  God  allowed  to  stream 
through.  It  was  a  human  body  that  writhed,  pale  and  racked, 
upon  the  accursed  tree  ;  they  were  human  hands  that  were 
pierced  so  rudely  by  the  nails  ;  it  was  human  flesh  that  bore  that 
deadly  gash  upon  the  side  ;  it  was  human  blood  that  streamed 
from  hands,  and  feet,  and  side  ;  the  eye  that  meekly  turned  to  his 
Father  was  a  human  eye  ;  the  soul  that  yearned  over  his  mother 
was  a  human  soul.  But  O,  there  was  Divine  glory  streaming 
through  all ;  every  wound  was  a  mouth  to  speak  of  the  grace  and 
love  of  God.  Divine  holiness  shone  through.  What  infinite 
hatred  of  sin  was  there  when  he  thus  offered  himself  a  sacrifice 
without  spot  unto  God  1  Divine  wisdom  shone  through  !  all 
created  intelligences  could  not  have  devised  a  plan  whereby 
God  would  have  been  just,  and  yet  the  justifier.  Divine  love  : 
every  drop  of  blood  that  fell  came  as  a  messenger  of  love  from 
his  heart  to  tell  the  love  of  the  fountain.  This  was  the  love  of 
God.  He  that  hath  seen  a  crucified  Christ  hath  seen  the  Father. 
O,  look  on  the  broken  bread,  and  you  will  see  this  glory  still 
streaming  through.  Here  is  the  heart  of  God  laid  bare,  God  is 
manifest  in  flesh.  Some  of  you  are  poring  over  your  own  heai't, 
examining  your  feeUngs,  watching  your  disease.  Avert  the  eye 
from  all  within.  Behold  me,  behold  me  !  Christ  cries.  Look  to 
me,  and  be  ye  saved.  Behold  the  glory  of  Christ.  There  is 
much  difficulty  about  your  own  heart,  but  no  darkness  about 
the  heart  of  Christ.  Look  in  through  his  wounds  ;  believe  what 
you  see  in  him, 

3d,  Christ's  glory  above. — I  cannot  speak  of  this.  I  trust  I 
shall  soon  one  day  see  it.  He  has  not  laid  aside  the  glory  which  he 
had  on  earth.  He  is  still  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world.  But  he  has  got  more  glory  now.  His  humanity  is  no 
more  a  veil  to  hide  any  of  the  beams  of  his  Godhead.  God  shines 
all  the  more  plainly  through  him.  He  has  got  many  crowns  now, 
the  oil  of  gladness  now,  the  sceptre  of  righteousness  now. 

Heaven  will  be  spent  in  beholding  his  glory. — We  shall  see  the 
Father  eternally  in  him.  We  shall  look  in  his  face,  and  in  his 
human  eye  shall  read  the  tender  love  of  God  to  us  for  ever. 
We  shall  hear  from  his  holy  human  lips  plainly  of  the  Father. 
•'  In  that  day  I  shall  no  more  speak  to  you  in  parables,  but  show 
you  plainly  of  the  Father."     We  shall  look  on  his  scars,  healed. 


126  SERMON   XXIII. 

yet  plain  and  open  on  his  hands,  and  feet,  and  side,  and  heaven- 
bright  brow,  and  shall  read  eternally  there  the  hatred  of  God 
against  sin,  and  his  love  to  us  that  made  him  die  for  us.  And 
sometimes,  perhaps,  we  may  lean  our  head  where  John  leaned 
his,  upon  his  holy  bosom.  Oh !  if  heaven  is  to  be  spent  thus, 
what  will  you  do  who  have  never  seen  his  glory  ? 

O  beloved,  if  your  eternity  is  to  be  spent  thus,  spend  much  of 
your  time  thus.  If  you  are  to  be  thus  engaged  at  the  table 
above,  be  thus  engaged  now  at  the  table  below. 

Communion  Sabbath,  Jan.  19,  1S40. 

II.    FENCING  THE  TABLES. 

"  But  a  certain  man  named  Ananias,  with  Sapphira  his  wife,  sold  a  possession,  and 
kept  back  part  of  the  price,  his  wife  also  being  privy  to  it,  and  brought  a  certain 
part,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.  But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan 
filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  back /)ar<  of  the  price  of 
the  land  ?  Whiles  it  remained,  was  it  not  thine  own  ?  and  after  it  was  sold  was 
it  not  in  thine  own  power  ?  why  hast  thou  conceived  this  thing  in  thine  heart  ? 
thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto  God.  And  Ananias,  hearing  these  words, 
fell  down,  and  gave  up  the  ghost;  and  great  fear  came  on  all  them  that  heard 
these  things.  And  the  young  men  arose,  wound  him  up,  and  carried  him  out, 
and  buried  him.  And  it  was  about  the  space  of  three  hours  after,  when  his 
wife,  not  knowing  wliat  was  done,  came  in.  And  Peter  answered  unto  her. 
Tell  me  whether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so  much  ?  And  she  said.  Yea,  for  so 
much.  Then  Peter  said  unto  her.  How  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  together  to 
tempt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord .'  Behold,  the  feet  of  them  which  have 
buried  thy  husband  are  at  the  door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out.  Then  fell  she 
down  straightway  at  his  feet  and  yielded  up  the  ghost ;  and  the  young  men  came 
in,  and  found  her  dead,  and  carrying  her  forth,  buried  her  by  her  husband.  And 
great  fear  came  upon  all  the  church,  and  upon  as  many  as  heard  these  things. 
And  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles  were  many  signs  and  wonders  wrought  among 
the  people  (and  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  Solomon's  porch.  And  of 
the  rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them  ;  but  the  people  magnified  them. 
And  believers  were  the  more  added  to  the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of  men  and 
women)." — Acts  v.,  1-4. 

There  have  been  hypocrites  in  the  Church  of  Christ  from  the 
beginning.  There  was  one,  Judas,  even  among  the  twelve  Apos- 
tles :  and  in  the  Apostolic  Church  there  was  an  Ananias  and  a 
Sapphira.  Attend,  1.  To  their  sin — a  lie.  When  so  much  of 
the  spirit  was  given,  all  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul.  Those 
that  had  estates  sold  them,  and  brought  the  price  and  laid  it  at 
the  Apostles'  feet.  It  was  a  lovely  sight  to  see.  Among  the 
rest  came  one  Ananias  ;  he  was  rich.  From  some  worldly  mo- 
tive, he  had  joined  himself  to  the  Christians,  husband  and  wife, 
both  Christless,  graceless  souls.  He  sold  his  possessions  to  be 
like  the  rest,  and  brought  a  part  and  said  it  was  his  all !  He  pre- 
tended to  be  a  Christian,  he  pretended  that  grace  was  in  his 
heart.  It  was  not  a  lie  to  man  only,  but  to  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
for  he  was  declaring  that  God  had  wrought  a  change  upon  his 
soul,  when  there  was  none,  he  was  still  old  Ananias.  2.  Their 
punishment. — They  fell  down  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  Oh  !  it  is 
an  awful  thing  when  sinners  die  in  the  act  of  sin,  with  the  lie  in 


SERMON    XXIII.  127 

their  mouth,  with  the  oath  on  their  tongue.  So  it  was  with  poor 
Ananias  and  his  wife.  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
they  were  in  the  place  where  all  liars  go.  3.  The  effect — great 
fear  came  upon  them  all.  None  dare  to  join  themselves  to  the 
Apostles'  company. 

Dear  friends,  these  things  are  written  for  our  learning.  Are 
there  none  come  up  here  to-day  with  Ananias'  lie  in  their  heart  ? 

The  broken  bread  and  poured  out  wine  represent  the  broken 
body  and  shed  blood  of  Christ.  Oh  !  it  is  enough  to  melt  the 
heart  of  the  stoutest  to  look  at  them.  To  take  that  bread  and 
that  wine  is  declaring  that  you  do  close  with  Christ,  that  you  take 
him  to  be  your  Saviour,  that  God  has  opened  your  heart  to  be- 
lieve. In  marriage,  the  acceptance  of  the  right  hand  is  a  solemn 
declaration,  by  sign,  that  you  accept  the  bride  or  bridegroom  : 
and  so  in  the  Lord's  supper.  If  it  is  not  so  with  you,  then  it 
is  a  lie ;  and  it  is  a  lie  to  the  Hohj  Ghost.  Ananias  came  de- 
claring that  he  had  got  the  Spirit's  work  upon  his  heart.  It  was 
a  time  when  much  of  God's  spirit  had  been  given,  verses  31, 
32.  It  is  likely  he  and  his  wife  had  some  convictions.  But 
since  it  was  false,  since  he  was  not  really  what  he  pretended  to 
be,  it  was  said,  "  he  lied  to  the  Holy  Ghost."  So,  dear  friends, 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  peculiarly  present  in  this  ordinance.  He  glo- 
rifies Christ.  He  has  converted  many  in  this  place.  To  sin 
to-day  is  to  lie  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  By  coming  to  the  table, 
you  profess  that  you  are  under  the  Spirit's  teaching.  If  you  are 
not,  you  lie  unto  the  Holy  Ghost ! 

Now,  do  you  know  that  you  have  not  come  to  Christ  ?  Do  you 
know  that  you  are  unconverted  1  And  will  you  sit  down  there 
and  take  the  bread  and  wine  ?  Take  heed,  Ananias  !  Thou  art 
not  lying  to  a  man  but  unto  God. 

Perhaps  there  is  one  among  you  who  is  secretly  addicted  to 
drinking,  to  swearing,  to  uncleanness.  Will  you  come  and  take 
the  bread  and  wine?     Take  heed,  Ananias  ! 

Perhaps  there  are  two  of  you,  husband  and  wife,  who  know 
that  neither  of  you  were  ever  converted.  You  never  pray  toge- 
ther, and  yet  you  agree  together  to  come  here.  Take  heed,  Ana- 
nias and  Sapphira  I 

Is  there  none  of  you  a  persecutor  ?  Suppose  a  father,  whose 
children  have  come  to  Christ,  but  in  your  heart  you  hate  their 
change  ;  you  oppose  it  with  bitter  words  ;  and  yet,  with  a  smooth 
countenance,  you  come  to  sit  beside  them  at  the  same  table  !  O, 
hypocrite,  take  heed  lest  you  drop  down  dead !  Draw  back  that 
hand  lest  it  wither !  If  we  should  see  the  cup  drop  from  your 
hand,  and  the  eye  glaze,  and  the  feet  become  cold,  Oh !  where 
would  your  soul  be? 

Dear  children  of  God,  do  not  be  discouraged  from  coming  to 
this  holy  table.  It  is  spread  for  sinners  that  have  come  to 
Jesus,     "  O,  come  and  dine."     Some  of  you  say,  "  I  do  not 


128  SERMON    XXIII. 

know  the  way  to  this  table."  Jesus  says,  "  I  am  the  way." 
Some  of  you  say,  "I  am  blind,  I  cannot  see  my  sins,  nor  my 
Saviour."  Go  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam.  Some  of  you  say, 
"I  am  naked."  Jesus  says,  "I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  white 
raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed."  You  are  polluted  in 
your  own  blood  ;  but  has  Jesus  thrown  his  skirt  over  you  ? 
Then,  do  not  fear ;  come  with  his  robe  on  you.  Come  thus, 
and  you  come  welcome. 

3.    TABLE    SERVICE. 

(The  only  specimen  of  his  Table  Services,  found  in  his  own  handwriting,  but 
without  date.) 

"My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his."  1.  "  In  the  arms  of  my 
faith  he  is  mine."  I  was  once  of  the  world,  cold  and  careless 
about  my  soul.  God  awakened  me,  and  made  me  feel  I  was  lost. 
I  tried  to  make  myself  good,  to  mend  my  life ;  but  I  found  it  in 
vain.  I  sat  down  more  lost  than  before.  I  was  then  told  to  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus.  So  I  triea  to  make  myself  believe.  I 
read  books  on  faith,  and  tried  to  bend  my  soul  to  believe,  that  so 
I  might  get  to  heaven  ;  but  still  in  vain.  I  found  it  written,  "  Faith 
is  the  gift  of  God."  "  No  man  can  call  Jesus  Lord,  but  by  the 
Holy  Gliost."  So  I  sat  down  more  lost  than  ever.  Whilst  I  was 
thus  helpless,  Jesus  drew  near,  his  garments  dipped  in  blood.  He 
had  waited  long  at  my  door,  though  I  knew  it  not.  "  His  head 
was  filled  with  dew,  and  his  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night." 
He  had  five  deep  wounds ;  and  he  said,  "  I  died  in  the  stead  of 
sinners  ;  and  any  sinner  may  have  me  for  a  Saviour.  You  are  a 
helpless  sinner,  will  you  have  me  ?"  How  can  I  resist  him  !  Jie  is 
all  I  need  !  "  I  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go."  "  3Iy  be- 
loved is  mine." 

2.  In  the  arms  of  mi/  love,  he  is  mine.  Once  I  did  not  know 
what  people  meant  by  loving  Jesus.  I  always  wished  to  ask  how 
they  could  love  one  whom  they  had  never  seen,  but  was  an- 
swered, "  whom  not  having  seen,  we  love."  But  now  that  I  have 
hidden  in  him,  now  that  I  am  cleaving  to  him,  now  I  feel  that  I 
cannot  but  love  him ;  and  I  long  to  see  him  that  I  may  love  him 
more.  Many  a  time  I  fall  into  sin,  and  that  takes  away  my  feel- 
ing of  safety  in  Christ.  Darkness  comes,  all  is  clouded,  Christ  is 
away.  Still  even  then  I  am  sick  of  love,  Christ  is  not  light  and 
peace  to  me  ;  but  I  follow  hard  after  him  amid  the  darkness,  he  is 
precious  to  me  ;  and  even  though  I  be  in  darkness,  he  is  my  be- 
loved still.     '•  This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend." 

3.  He  is  mine  in  the  Sacrament. — Many  a  time  have  I  said  to 
him  in  prayer,  Thou  art  mine.  Many  a  time  when  the  doors  were 
shut,  and  Jesus  came  in  showing  his  wounds,  saying,  "  Peace  be 
unto  you,"  my  soul  clave  to  him,  and  said,  "  My  Lord  and  my 
God  !"  My  beloved  thou  art  mine  !  Many  a  time  have  I  trysted 
with  him  in  lonely  places,  where  there  was  no  eye  of  man.    Many 


SERMON    XXIII.  129 

a  time  have  I  called  to  the  rocks  and  trees  to  witness  that  I  took 
him  to  be  my  Saviour.  He  said  to  me,  "  I  will  betrothe  thee  unto 
me  for  ever  ;"  and  I  said  to  him,  "  My  beloved  is  mine."  Many 
a  time  have  I  gone  vv^ith  some  Christian  friend,  and  we  poured  out 
our  trembling  hearts  together,  consulting  one  with  another  as  to 
whether  we  had  Hberty  to  close  with  Christ  or  no,  and  both  toge- 
ther we  came  to  this  conclusion,  that  if  we  were  but  helpless  sin- 
ners we  had  a  right  to  close  with  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  We 
clave  to  him,  and  called  him  ours.  And  now  have  we  come  to 
taice  him, publicly,  to  call  an  ungodly  world  to  witness,  to  call 
heaven  and  earth  for  a  record  to  our  soul,  that  we  do  close  with 
Christ,  See  he  giveth  himself  to  us  in  the  bread  ;  lo  I  we  accept 
of  him  in  accepting  this  bread.  BeaV  witness,  men  and  angels, 
bear  witness,  all  the  universe — "  My  beloved  is  mine." 

(The  communicants  then  partook  of  the  broken  bread  and  the  cup  of  blessing.) 

(It  was  his  custom,  after  they  had  communicated,  to  speak  briefly 
on  a  few  suitable  texts,  before  dismissing  them  from  the  tables. 
On  Sabbath,  January  19,  the  texts  were — "Love  one  another;" 
"  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it ;" 
"  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation,  but  in  me  ye  shall  have 
peace.") 

4.  ADDRESS  AT  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  DAY. 

"  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy." — Jude  24. 

There  is  no  end  to  a  pastor's  anxieties.  Our  first  care  is  to  get 
you  into  Christ ;  and  next,  to  keep  you  from  falling.  I  have  a 
good  hope,  dearly  beloved,  that  a  goodly  number  of  you  have  this 
day  joined  yourselves  to  the  Lord.  But  now  a  new  anxiety  be- 
gins, to  get  you  to  walk  in  Christ,  to  walk  after  the  Spirit.  Here 
we  are  to  tell  you  of  what  God  our  Saviour  is  able  to  do  for  you: 
1st,  To  keep  you  from  falling  all  the  way;  2d,  To  present  you 
faultless  at  the  end. 

I.  To  keep  you  from  falling. 

1.  We  are  not  able  to  keep  you  from  falling.  Those  that  lean 
on  ministers  lean  on  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind.  When  a  soul 
has  received  saving  good  through  a  minister,  he  often  thinks  that 
he  will  be  kept  from  falling  by  the  same  means.  He  thinks,  "  O 
if  I  had  this  friend  always  beside  me  to  warn  me,  to  advise  me." 
No  ;  ministers  are  not  always  by,  nor  godly  friends.  Your  fathers, 
where  are  they  ?  and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  for  ever  ?  We 
may  soon  be  taken  from  you,  and  there  may  come  a  famine  of  the 
bread.  And,  besides,  our  words  will  not  always  tell.  When 
temptation  and  passions  are  strong,  you  would  not  give  heed 
to  us. 

9 


130  SERMON   XXIII. 

2.  You  are  not  able  to  keep  yourselves  from  falling.  At  present 
you  know  little  of  the  weakness  or  wickedness  of  your  own  heart. 
There  is  nothing  more  deceitful  than  your  estimate  of  your  own 
strength.  O  if  you  saw  your  soul  in  all  its  infirmity  ;  if  you  saw 
how  every  sin  has  its  fountain  in  your  heart ;  if  you  saw  what  a 
mere  reed  you  are,  you  would  cry,  "  Lord,  hold  up  my  goings," 
You  may  be  at  present  strong,  but  stop  till  an  inviting  company 
occur ;  stop  till  a  secret  opportunity.  O  how  many  have  fallen 
then  !  At  present  you  feel  strong,  your  feet  like  hind's  feet.  So 
did  Peter  at  the  Lord's  table.  But  stop  till  this  burst  of  feeling 
has  passed  away  ;  stop  till  you  are  asked  to  join  in  some  unholy 
game ;  stop  till  some  secret  opportunity  of  sinning  all  unseen,  till 
some  bitter  provocation  rouses  your  anger,  and  you  will  find  that 
you  are  weak  as  water,  and  that  there  is  no  sin  that  you  may  not 
fall  into. 

3.  Our  Saviour-God  is  able. — Christ  deals  with  us  as  you  do 
with  your  children ;  they  cannot  go  alone.  You  hold  them,,  so 
does  Christ  by  his  Spirit.  "  I  taught  Ephraim  also  to  go,  taking 
them  by  their  arms."  Hosea  xi.,  3.  Breathe  this  prayer — "  Lord, 
take  me  by  the  arms."  John  Newton  says.  When  a  mother  is 
teaching  her  child  to  walk  on  a  soft  carpet,  she  will  sometimes  let 
it  go,  and  it  will  fall,  to  teach  it  its  weakness ;  but  not  so  on  the 
brink  of  a  precipice.  So  the  Lord  will  sometimes  let  you  fall, 
like  Peter  on  the  waters,  though  not  to  your  injury.  The  shep- 
herd layeth  the  sheep  on  his  shoulder ;  it  matters  not  how  great 
the  distance  be,  it  matters  not  how  high  the  mountains,  how  rough 
the  path  ;  our  Saviour-God  is  an  Almighty  Shepherd.  Some  of 
you  have  mountains  in  your  way  to  heaven,  some  of  you  have 
mountains  of  lusts  in  your  hearts,  and  some  of  you  have  moun- 
tains of  opposition  ;  it  matters  not,  only  lie  on  the  shoulder.  He  is 
able  to  keep  you  ;  even  in  the  dark  valley  he  will  not  stumble. 

IL   To  present  you  faultless. 

1.  Faultless  in  Righteousness. — As  long  as  you  live  in  your 
mortal  body,  you  will  be  faulty  in  yourself  It  is  a  soul-ruining 
error  to  believe  anything  else.  O  if  ye  would  be  wise,  be  often 
looking  beneath  the  robe  of  the  Redeemer's  righteousness  to  see 
your  own  deformity.  It  will  make  you  keep  faster  hold  of  his 
robe,  and  keep  you  washing  in  the  fountain.  Now,  when  Christ 
brings  you  before  the  throne  of  God,  he  will  clothe  you  with  his 
own  fine  linen,  and  present  you  faultless.  O  it  is  sweet  to  me  to 
think  how  soon  you  shall  be  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 
What  a  glorious  righteousness  that  can  stand  the  light  of  God's 
face  I  Sometimes  a  garment  appears  white  in  dim  light:  when 
you  bring  it  into  the  sunshine  you  see  the  spots.  O  prize,  then, 
this  Divine  righteousness,  which  is  your  covering. 

2.  Faultless  in  holiness. — My  heart  sometimes  sickens  when 
1  think  upon  the  defects  of  believers  ;  when  I  think  of  one  Chris- 


SERMON    XXIV.  131 

tian  being  fond  of  company,  another  vain,  another  given  to  evil 
speaking.  O  aim  to  be  holy  Christians,  bright,  shining  Christians. 
The  heaven  is  more  adorned  by  the  large  bright  constellations 
than  by  many  insignificant  stars  ;  so  God  may  be  more  glorified  by 
one  bright  Christian  than  by  many  indifferent  ones.  Aim  at  being 
that  one. 

Soon  we  shall  be  faultless.  He  that  begun  will  perform  it.  We 
shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is.  When  you  lay 
down  this  body,  you  may  soy.  Farewell  lust  for  ever,  farewell  my 
hateful  pride,  farewell  hateful  selfishness,  farewell  strife  and  envy- 
ing, farewell  being  ashamed  of  Christ.  O  this  makes  death  sweet 
indeed.     O  long  to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ 

III.   To  him  he  glory. 

1.  O  if  anything  has  been  done  for  your  soul,  give  him  the  glory. 
Give  no  praise  to  others  ;  give  all  praise  to  him.  2.  And  give  him 
the  dominion  too.     Yield  yourselves  unto  him,  soul  and  body. 


SERMON  XXIV. 

THE    VOICE    OF    MY    BELOVED.* 

"  The  voice  of  my  beloved  !  behold  he  cometh  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skip- 
ping upon  the  hills.  My  beloved  is  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart :  behold  he 
standeth  behind  our  wall,  he  looketh  forth  at  the  windows,  showing  himself 
through  the  lattice.  My  beloved  spake,  and  said  unto  me,  Rise  up,  my  love,  my 
fair  one,  and  come  away.  For,  lo,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone  ; 
the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth  ;  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come,  and 
the  vo'ice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land  ;  the  fig-tree  putteth  forth  her  green 
figs,  and  the  vines  with  the  tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise,  my  love,  my 
fair  one,  and  come  away.  0  my  dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the 
secret  places  of  the  stairs,  let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy  voice; 
for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  comely.  Take  us  the  foxes,  the 
little  foxes,  that  spoil  the  vines ;  for  our  vines  have  tender  grapes.  My  beloved 
is  mine,  and  I  am  his  ;  he  feedeth  among  the  lilies.  Until  the  day  break,  and 
the  shadows  flee  away,  turn,  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hai't, 
upon  the  mountains  of  Bether." — Song  of  Solomon  ii.,  8-17. 

There  is  no  book  of  the  Bible  which  affords  a  better  test  of  the 
depth  of  a  man's  Christianity  than  the  Song  of  Solomon.  (1.)  If 
a  man's  religion  be  all  in  his  head — a  well  set  form  of  doctrines, 
built  like  mason  work,  stone  above  stone — but  exercising  no  in- 
fluence upon  his  heart,  this  book  cannot  but  offend  him  ;  for  there 
are  no  stiff  statements  of  doctrine  here  upon  which  his  heartless 
religion  may  be  built.  (2.)  Or,  if  a  man's  religion  be  all  in  his 
fancy — if,  like  Pliable  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  he  be  taken  with 

*  August  14,  1836,  when  he  preached  as  candidate— the  first  day  he  preached 
in  St.  Peter's 


132  SERMON    XXIV. 

the  outward  beauty  of  Christianity — if,  like  the  seed  sown  upon 
the  rocky  ground,  his  religion  is  fixed  only  in  the  surface  faculties 
of  the  mind,  while  the  heart  remains  rucky  and  unmoved — though 
he  will  relish  this  book  much  more  than  the  first  man,  st.il  there 
is  a  mysterious  breathing  of  intimate  affection  in  it,  which  cannot 
but  stumble  and  offend  him.  (3.)  But  if  a  man's  religion  be  heart 
religion — if  he  hath  not  only  doctrines  in  his  head,  but  love  to 
Jesus  in  his  heart — if  he  hath  not  only  heard  and  read  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  but  hath  felt  his  need  of  him,  and  been  brought  to  cleave 
unto  him,  as  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand,  and  the  altogether 
lovely,  then  this  book  will  be  inestimably  precious  to  his  soul  ; 
for  it  contains  the  tenderest  breathings  of  the  believer's  heart 
toward  the  ISaviour,  and  the  tenderest  breathings  of  the  Saviour's 
heart  again  towards  the  believer. 

It  is  agreed  among  the  best  interpreters  of  this  book — (1.)  That 
it  consists  not  of  one  song,  but  of  many  songs  ;  (2.)  That  these 
songs  are  in  a  dramatic  form  ;  and  (3.)  That,  like  the  parables  of 
Christ,  they  contain  a  spiritual  meaning,  under  the  dress  and  orna- 
ments of  some  poetical  incident. 

The  passage  which  I  have  read  forms  one  of  these  dramatical 
songs,  and  the  subject  of  it  is,  a  sudden  visit  which  an  Eastern 
bride  receives  from  her  absent  lord.  The  bride  is  represented  to 
us  as  sitting  lonely  and  desolate  in  a  kiosk,  or  Eastern  arbor,  a 
place  of  safety  and  of  retirement  in  the  gardens  of  the  East, 
described  by  modern  travellers  as  "  an  arbor  surrounded  by  a 
green  wall,  covered  with  vines  and  jessamines,  with  windows  of 
lattice  work." 

The  jnountains  of  B ether  (or,  as  it  is  on  the  margin,  the  mounts 
of  division),  the  mountains  that  separate  her  from  her  beloved, 
appear  almost  impassable.  They  look  so  steep  and  craggy  that 
she  fears  he  will  never  be  able  to  come  over  them  to  visit  her  any 
more.  Her  garden  possesses  no  loveliness  to  entice  her  to  walk 
forth.  All  nature  seems  to  partake  in  her  sadness  ;  winter  reigns 
without  and  within ;  no  flowers  appear  on  the  earth ;  all  the 
singing  birds  appear  to  be  sad  and  silent  upon  the  trees ;  and  the 
turtle's  voice  of  love  is  not  heard  in  the  land. 

It  is  whilst  she  is  sitting  thus  lonely  and  desolate  that  the  voice 
of  her  beloved  strikes  upon  her  ear.  Love  is  quick  in  hearing  the 
voice  that  is  loved ;  and,  therefore,  she  hears  sooner  than  all  her 
maidens,  and  the  song  opens  with  her  bursting  exclamation, 
"  The  voice  of  my  beloved  !"  When  she  sat  in  her  solitude  the 
mountains  between  her  and  her  lord  seemed  nearly  impassable, 
they  were  so  lofty  and  so  steep  ;  but  now  she  sees  with  what 
swiftness  and  ease  he  can  come  over  these  mountains,  so  that  she 
can  compare  him  to  nothing  else  but  the  gazelle,  or  the  young 
hart,  the  loveliest  and  swiftest  creatures  of  the  mountains.  "  My 
beloved  is  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart."  Yea,  while  she  is  speak- 
ing, already  he  has  arrived  at  the  garden  wall,  and  now,  behold 


SERMON    XXIV.  133 

"  he  looketh  in  at  the  window,  showing  himself  through  the  lattice." 
The  bride  next  relates  to  us  the  gentle  invitation,  which  seems  to 
have  been  the  song  of  her  beloved  as  he  came  s:)  swiftly  over  the 
mountains.  While  she  sat  alone  all  nature  seemed  dead — winter 
reigned  ;  but  now  he  tells  her  that  he  has  brought  the  spring-time 
along  with  him.  "  Arise,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away. 
For  To,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone ;  the  flowers 
appear  on  the  earth  ;  the  time  of  the  singing  birds  is  come,  and 
the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land.  The  fig  tree  putteth 
forth  her  green  figs,  and  the  vines  with  the  tender  grape  give  a 
good  smell.  Arise,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away." 
Moved  by  this  pressing  invitation,  she  comes  forth  from  her  place 
of  retirement  into  the  presence  of  her  lord,  and  clings  to  him  like 
the  timorous  dove  to  the  clefts  of  the  rock  ;  and  then  he  addresses 
her  in  these  words  of  tenderest  and  most  delicate  affection,  "  O  my 
dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the  secret  places  of  the 
precipice,  let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy  voice  ; 
for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  comely."  Joyfully 
agreeing  to  go  forth  with  her  lord,  she  yet  remembers  that  this  is 
the  season  of  greatest  danger  to  her  vines,  fi'om  the  foxes  which 
gnaw  the  bark  of  the  vines ;  and,  therefore,  she  will  not  go  forth 
without  leaving  this  command  of  caution  to  her  maidens,  '^  Take 
us  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil  the  vines,  for  our  vines  have 
tender  grapes."  She  then  renews  the  covenant  of  her  espousals 
with  her  beloved,  in  these  words  of  appropriating  afliection  :  "  My 
beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his ;  let  him  feed  among  the  lilies." 
And  last  of  all,  because  she  knows  that  this  season  of  intimate 
communion  will  not  last,  since  her  beloved  must  hurry  away  again 
over  the  mountains,  she  will  not  suffer  him  to  depart  without  be- 
seeching him  that  he  will  often  renew  these  visits  of  love,  till  that 
happy  day  dawn  when  they  shall  not  need  to  be  separated  any 
more — "  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  turn, 
my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart,  upon  the 
mountains  of  Bether." 

We  might  well  challenge  the  whole  world  of  genius  to  produce 
in  any  language  a  poem  such  as  this,  so  short,  so  comprehensive,  so 
delicately  beautiful.  But,  what  is  far  more  to  our  present  purpose, 
there  is  no  part  of  the  Bible  which  opens  up  more  beautifully 
some  of  the  innermost  experience  of  the  believer's  heart. 

Let  us  now,  then,  look  at  the  parable  as  a  description  of  one  of 
those  visits  which  the  Saviour  often  pays  to  believing  souls,  when 
he  manifests  himself  unto  them  in  that  other  way  than  he  doeth 
unto  the  world. 

1 .  When  Christ  is  away  from  the  soul  of  the  believer,  he  sits 
alone. — We  saw  in  the  parable,  that,  when  her  Lord  was  away, 
the  bride  sat  lonely  and  desolate.  She  did  not  call  for  the  young 
and  the  gay  to  cheer  her  solitary  hours.  She  did  not  call  for  the 
harp  of  the  minstrel  to  soothe  her  in  her  solitude.     There  was  no 


134  SKRMON    XXIV. 

pipe,  nor  tabret,  nor  wine  at  her  feasts.  No,  she  sat  alone.  The 
mountains  seemed  all  but  impassable.  AH  nature  partook  of  her 
sadness.  If  she  could  not  be  glad  in  the  light  of  the  Lord's  coun- 
tenance, she  was  resolved  to  be  glad  in  nothing  else.  She  sat 
lonely  and  desolate.  Just  so  it  is  with  the  true  believer  in  Jesus. 
Whatever  be  the  mountains  of  Bether  that  have  come  between 
his  soul  and  Christ ;  whether  he  hath  been  seduced  into  his  old 
sins,  so  that  "  his  iniquities  have  separated  again  between  him  and 
his  God,  and  his  sins  have  hid  his  face  from  him,  that  he  will  not 
hear  ;"  or  whether  the  Saviour  hath  withdrawn  for  a  season  the 
comfortable  light  of  his  presence  for  the  mere  trial  of  his  servant's 
faith,  to  see  if,  when  he  "  walketh  in  darkness  and  hath  no  light, 
he  will  still  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  himself  upon 
his  God  ;"  whatever  the  mountains  of  separation  be,  it  is  the  sure 
mark  of  the  believer  that  he  sits  desolate  and  alone.  He  cannot 
laugh  away  his  heavy  care,  as  worldly  men  can  do.  He  cannot 
drown  it  in  the  bowl  of  intemperance,  as  poor  blinded  men  can  do. 
Even  the  innocent  intercourse  of  human  friendship  brings  no  balm 
to  his  wound,  nay,  even  fellowship  with  the  children  of  God  is  now 
distasteful  to  his  soul.  He  cannot  enjoy  what  he  enjoyed  before, 
when  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another.  The 
mountains  between  him  and  the  Saviour  seem  so  vast  and  impas- 
sable that  he  fears  he  will  never  visit  him  more.  All  nature  par- 
takes of  his  sadness — winter  reigns  without  and  within.  He  sits 
alone,  and  is  desolate.  Being  afflicted,  he  prays  ;  and  the  burden 
of  his  prayer  is  the  same  with  that  of  an  ancient  believer — "  Lord, 
if  I  may  not  be  made  glad  with  the  light  of  thy  countenance,  grant 
that  I  may  be  made  glad  with  nothing  else ;  for  joy  without  thee 
is  death." 

Ah  !  my  friends,  do  you  know  anything  of  this  sorrow  ?  Do 
you  know  what  it  is  thus  to  sit  alone  and  be  desolate,  because 
Jesus  is  out  of  view  ?  If  you  do,  then  rejoice,  if  it  be  possible, 
even  in  the  midst  of  your  sadness ;  for  this  very  sadness  is  one 
of  the  marks  that  you  are  a  believer;  that  you  find  all  your  peace 
and  all  your  joy  in  union  with  the  Saviour. 

But  ah!  how  contrary  is  the  way  with  most  of  you?  You 
know  nothing  of  this  sadness.  Yes.  perhaps  you  make  a  mock 
at  it.  You  can  be  happy  and  contented  with  the  world,  though 
you  have  never  got  a  sight  of  Jesus.  You  can  be  merry  with 
your  companions,  though  the  blood  of  Jesus  has  never  whispered 
peace  to  your  soul.  Ah  !  how  plain  that  you  are  hastening  on  to 
the  place  where  "  there  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God  to  the  wicked  !" 

II.  Ch'isfs  coming  to  the  desolate  believer  is  often  sudden  and 
wonderful. — We  saw  in  the  parable,  that  it  was  when  the  bride 
was  sitting  lonely  and  desolate  that  she  heard  suddenly  the  voice 
of  her  lord.  Love  is  quick  in  hearing ;  and  she  cries  out,  ''  the 
voice  of  my  beloved  !"     Before,  she  thought  the  mountains  all  but 


SERMON    XXIV.  135 

impassable ;  but  now  she  can  compare  his  swiftness  to  nothing 
but  that  of  the  gazelle  or  the  young  hart.  Yea,  whilst  she  speaks, 
he  is  at  the  wall,  at  the  window,  showing  himself  through  the 
lattice.  Just  so  is  it  oftentimes  with  the  believer.  Whilst  he  sits 
alone  and  desolate,  the  mountains  of  separation  appear  a  vast 
and  impassable  barrier  to  the  Saviour,  and  he  fears  he  may  never 
come  again.  The  mountains  of  a  believer's  provocations  ai-e 
often  very  greal.  "  That  I  should  have  sinned  again,  who  have 
been  washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus.  It  is  little  that  other  men 
should  sin  against  him ;  they  never  knew  him,  never,  loved  him 
as  I  have  done.  Surely  1  am  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  have 
sinned  away  my  Saviour.  The  mountain  of  my  provocations 
hath  grown  up  to  heaven,  and  he  never  can  come  over  it  any 
more."  Thus  it  is  that  the  believer  writes  bitter  things  against 
himself;  and  then  it  is  that  oftentimes  he  hears  the  voice  of  his 
beloved.  Some  text  of  the  Word,  or  some  word  from  a  Christian 
friend,  or  some  part  of  a  sermon,  again  reveals  Jesus  in  all  his 
fulness,  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  even  the  chief.  Or  it  may  be  that 
he  makes  himself  known  to  the  disconsolate  soul  in  the  breaking 
of  bread,  and  when  he  speaks  the  gentle  words — "  This  is  my 
body  broken  for  you  ;  this  cup  is  the  ISew  Testament  in  my  blood 
shed  for  the  remission  of  the  sins  of  many;  drink  ye  all  of  it;" 
then  he  cannot  but  cry  out,  "  The  voice  of  my  beloved ;  behold 
he  Cometh  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon  the  hills." 

Ah,  my  friends,  do  you  know  anything  of  this  joyful  surprise? 
If  you  do,  why  should  you  ever  sit  down  despairingly,  as  if  the 
Lord's  hand  were  shortened  at  all  that  he  cannot  save,  or  as  if 
his  ear  were  grown  heavy  that  he  cannot  hear?  In  the  darkest 
hour  say,  "  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul  ?  and  why  art 
thou  disquieted  within  me  ?  Still  trust  in  God,  for  I  shall  yet  praise 
him,  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  God."  Come 
expectingly  to  the  word.  Do  not  come  with  that  listless  indiffer- 
ence as  if  nothing  that  a  fellow-worm  can  say  were  worth  your 
hearing.  It  is  not  the  word  of  man,  but  the  word  of  the  living 
God.  Come  with  large  expectations,  and  then  you  will  find  the 
promise  true,  that  he  tilleth  the  hungry  with  good  things,  though 
he  sends  the  rich  empty  away. 

III.  Ch?-ist's  coming  changes  all  things  to  the  believer,  and  his 
love  is  more  tender  than  ever. — We  saw  in  the  parable  that  when 
the  bride  sat  desolate  and  alone,  all  nature  was  steeped  in  sadness. - 
Her  garden  possessed  no  charms  to  draw  her  forth,  for  winter 
reigned  without  and  within.  But  when  her  Lord  came  so  swiftly 
over  the  mountains,  he  brought  the  spring  along  with  him.  All 
nature  is  changed  as  he  advances,  and  his  invitation  is,  "  For  the 
winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone ;  arise,  my  love,  my  fliir 
one,  and  come  away."  Just  so  it  is  with  the  believer  when 
Christ  is  away;  all  is  winter  to  the  soul.  But  when  he  comes 
again  over  the  mountains  of  provocation,  he  brings  a  gladsome 


136  SERMON    XXIV. 

spring-time  along  with  him.  When  that  Sun  of  Righteousness 
arises  afresh  upon  the  soul,  not  only  do  his  gladdening  rays  fall 
upon  the  believer's  soul,  but  all  nature  rejoices  in  his  joy.  The 
mountains  and  hills  burst  forth  before  him  into  singing,  and  all  ihe 
trees  of  the  field  clap  their  hands.  It  is  like  a  change  of  season 
to  the  soul.  It  is  like  that  sudden  change  from  the  pouring  rains 
of  a  dreary  winter  to  the  full  blushing  spring,  which  is  so  peculiar 
to  the  climes  of  the  Sun, 

The  world  of  nature  is  all  changed.  Instead  of  the  thorn  comes 
up  the  fir  tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  comes  up  the  myrtle  tree. 
Every  tree  and  field  possesses  a  new  beauty  to  the  happy  soul. 
The  world  of  grace  is  all  changed.  The  Bible  was  all  dry  and 
meaningless  before  ;  now  what  a  flood  of  light  is  poured  over  its 
pages  !  how  full,  how  fresh,  how  rich  in  meaning,  how  its  simplest 
phrases  touch  the  heart !  The  house  of  prayer  was  all  sad  and  dreary 
before,  its  services  were  dry  and  unsatisfactory ;  but  now  when 
the  believer  sees  the  Saviour,  as  he  hath  seen  him  heretofoi'e 
within  his  holy  place,  his  cry  is — '  How  amiable  are  thy  taberna- 
cles, O  Lord  of  Hosts ;  a  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thou- 
sand." The  garden  of  the  Lord  was  all  sad  and  cheerless  before  ; 
now  tenderness  towards  the  unconverted  springs  up  afresh,  and 
love  to  the  people  of  God  burns  in  the  bosom  ;  then  they  that  fear 
the  Lord  speak  often  one  to  another.  The  time  of  singing  the 
praises  of  Jesus  is  come,  and  the  turtle  voice  of  love  to  Jesus  is 
once  more  heard  in  the  land  ;  the  lord's  vine  flourishes,  and  the 
pomegranate  buds,  and  Christ's  voice  to  the  soul  is,  "  Arise,  my 
love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away." 

As  the  timorous  dove  pursued  by  the  vulture,  and  well  nigh  made 
a  prey,  with  fluttering  anxious  wing,  hides  itself  deeper  than  ever 
in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  and  in  the  secret  place  of  the  precipice, 
so  the  backslidden  believer  whom  Satan  has  desired  to  have  that 
he  might  sift  him  as  wheat,  when  he  is  restored  once  more  to  the 
all-gracious  presence  of  his  Lord,  clings  to  him  with  fluttering, 
anxious  faith,  and  hides  himself  deeper  than  ever  in  the  wounds 
of  his  Saviour.  Thus  it  was  that  the  fallen  Peter,  when  he  had 
so  grievously  denied  his  Lord,  yet  when  brought  again  within 
sight  of  the  Saviour  standing  upon  the  shore,  was  the  only  one  of 
the  disciples  who  girt  his  fisher's  coat  unto  him  and  cast  himself 
into  the  sea  to  swim  to  Jesus  ;  and  just  as  that  backslidden 
apostle,  when  again  he  had  hidden  himself  in  the  clefts  of  the 
Rock  of  Ages,  found  that  the  love  of  Jesus  was  more  tender 
towards  him  thnn  ever,  when  he  began  that  conversation  which, 
more  than  all  others  in  the  Bible,  combines  the  kindest  of  reproofs 
with  the  kindest  of  encouragements,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest 
thou  me  more  than  these  ?"  just  so  dors  every  backslidden  believer 
find,  that  when  again  he  is  hidden  in  the  freshly  opened  wounds 
of  his  Lord,  the  fountain  of  his  love  begins  to  flow  afresh,  and 
the  stream  of  kindness  and  affection  is  fuller  and  more  overflow- 
ing than  ever,  for  his  word  is,  "  Oh,  my  dove,  that  art  in  the 


SERMON    XXIV.  137 

clefts  of  the  rock,  in  tne  secret  places  of  tlie  precipice,  let  me  see 
thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy  voice ;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice, 
and  thy  countenance  is  comely." 

Ah,  my  friends,  do  you  know  anything  of  this  ?  Have  you  ever 
experienced  such  a  coming  of  Jesus  over  the  mountain  of  your 
provocations  as  made  a  change  of  season  to  your  soul  ?  and  have 
you,  backslidden  believer,  i'ound,  when  you  hid  yourself  again 
deeper  than  ever  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  like  Peter  girding  his 
fisher's  coat  unto  him  and  casting  himself  into  the  sea,  have  you 
found  his  love  tenderer  than  ever  to  your  soul  ?  Then  should  not 
this  teach  you  quick  repentance  when  you  have  fallen  ?  Why 
keep  one  moment  away  from  the  Saviour?  Are  you  waiting 
till  you  wipe  away  the  stain  from  your  garments?  Alas!  what 
will  wipe  it  off,  but  the  blood  you  are  despising?  Are  you  wait- 
ing till  you  make  yourself  worthier  of  the  Saviour's  favor  ?  Alas  ! 
though  you  wait  till  all  eternity,  you  can  never  make  yourself 
worthier.  Your  sin  and  misery  are  your  only  plea.  Come,  and 
you  will  find  with  what  tenderness  he  will  heal  your  backslidings, 
and  love  you  freely ;  and  say,  "  Oh,  my  dove,"  &c. 

IV.  I  observe  the  threefold  disposition  of  fear,  love,  and  hope, 
which  this  visit  of  the  Saviour  stirs  up  in  the  believer's  bosom. 
These  three  form,  as  it  were,  a  cord  in  the  restored  believer's 
bosom,  and  a  threefold  cord  is  not  easily  broken. 

1.  First  of  all,  there  isfea7\ — As  the  bride  in  the  parable  would 
not  go  forth  to  enjoy  the  society  of  her  lord,  without  leaving  the 
command  behind  to  her  maidens  to  take  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes, 
that  spoil  the  vines,  so  does  every  believer  know  and  feci  that  the 
time  of  closest  communion  is  also  the  time  of  greatest  danger. 
It  was  when  the  Saviour  had  been  baptized,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
like  a  dove,  had  descended  upon  him,  and  a  voice  saying,  "  This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased," — it  was  then 
that  he  was  driven  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil; 
and  just  so  it  is  when  the  soul  is  receiving  its  highest  privileges 
and  comforts,  that  Satan  and  his  ministers  are  nearest,  the  foxes,  the 
little  foxes,  that  spoil  tho  vines.  ].  Spiritual  pride  is  near.  When 
the  soul  is  hiding  in  the  wounds  of  the  Saviour,  and  receivinjr  great 
tokens  of  his  love,  then  the  heart  begins  to  say,  Surely  I  am  some- 
body, how  fir  I  am  above  the  everyday  run  of  believers.  This  is  one 
of  the  little  foxes  that  eats  out  the  life  of  vital  godliness.  2.  There 
is  making  a  Christ  of  your  comforts,  looking  to  them,  and  not  to 
Christ,  leaning  upon  them,  and  not  upon  your  beloved.  This  is 
another  of  the  little  foxes.  3.  There  is  the  false  notion  that  now 
you  must  surely  be  above  sinning,  and  above  the  power  of  tempta- 
tion, now  you  can  resist  all  enemies.  This  is  the  pride  that  goes 
before  a  fall ;  another  of  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil  the 
vines.  Never  forget,  I  beseech  you,  that  fear  is  a  sure  mark  of  a 
believer      Even  when  you  feel  that  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you, 


13S  SERMON    XXIV. 

still  the  word  saith,  work  out  your  salvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling ;  even  when  your  joy  is  overflowing,  still  remember  it  is 
written, "  rejoice  with  trembling ;"  and  again, "  be  not  high-minded, 
but  fear."  Remember  the  caution  of  the  bride,  and  say,  "  Take 
us  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil  the  vines,  for  our  vines 
have  tender  grapes." 

2.  But  if  cautious  fear  be  a  mark  of  a  believer  in  such  a  season, 
still  more  is  appropriating  love.     When  Christ  comes  anew  over 
mountains  of  provocation,  and  reveals  himself  to  the  soul  free  and 
full  as  ever,  in  another  way  than  he  doth  unto  the  world,  then  the 
soul  can  say,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his."     I  do  not  say 
that  the  believer  can  use  these  words  at  all  seasons.     In  times  of 
darkness  and  in  times  of  sinfulness  the  reality  of  a  believer's  faith 
is  to  be  measured  rather  by  his  sadness  than  by  his  confidence. 
But  I  do  say,  that,  in  seasons  when  Christ  reveals  himself  afresh 
to  the  soul,  shining  out  like  the  sun,  from  behind  a  cloud,  with  the 
beams  of  sovereign,  unmerited  love  ;  then  no  other  woi'ds  will 
satisfy  the  true  believer  but  these,  "  My  beloved  is  mine, and  lam 
his."     The  soul  sees  Jesus  to  be  so  free  a  Saviour;  so  anxious 
that  all  should   come  to  him  and  have  life ;    stretching  out  his 
hands  all  the  day  ;  having  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ; 
pleading  with  men,  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  V     The 
soul  sees  Jesus  to  be  so  filing  a.  Saviour ;  the   very  covering 
which  the  soul  requires.     When  first  he  hid  himself  in  Jesus,  he 
found  him  suitable  to  ail  his  need  ;  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in 
a  weary  land.     But  now  he  finds  out  a  new  fitness  in  the  Saviour, 
as  Peter  did  when  he  girt  his  fisher's  coat  unto  him,  and  cast  him- 
self into  the  sea.     He  finds  that  he  is  a  fitting  Saviour  ibr  the  back- 
slidden believer  ;  that  his  blood  cnn  blot  out  even  the  stains  of  him 
who,  having  eaten  bread  with  him,  has   yet  lifted  up  the  heel 
against  him.     The  soul  sees  Jesus  to  he  so  full  a  Saviour ;  giving 
to  the   sinner  not  only  pardons,  but  overflowing,  immeasurable 
pardons ;  giving  not  only  righteousness,  but  a  righteousnesj:  that 
is  more  than  mortal,  for  it  is  all  divine;  giving  not  only  the  Spirit, 
but  pouring  water  on  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods   upon  the  dry 
ground.     The  soul  sees  all  this  in  Jesus,  and  cannot  but  choose 
him  and  delight  in  him  with  anew  and  appropriating  love, saying, 
"  My  beloved  is  mine."     And  if  any  man  ask.  How  darest  thou, 
sinful  worm,  to  call  that  divine  Snviour  thine  ?  the  answer  is  here, 
For  lam  his :  He  chose  me  from  all  eternity,  else  I  never  would  have 
chosen  him.     He  shed  his  blood  for  me,  else  I  never  would  have 
shed  a  tear  for  him.     He  cried  after  me,  else  I  never  would  have 
breathed  after  him.     He  sought  after  me,  else  I  never  would  have 
sought  after  him.     He  hath  loved  me,  therefore  I  love  him.     He 
hath  chosen  me,  therefore  I  evermore  choose  him.    "  My  beloved  is 
mine,  and  I  am  his." 

3.  But,  lastly,  if  love  be  a  mark  of  the  true  believer  at  such  a 
season,  so  also  is  prayerful  hope.     It  was  the  saying  of  a  true 


SERMON    XXV.  139 

believer  in  an  hour  of  high  and  wonderful  communion  with  Jesus, 
"  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here,"  My  friend,  you  are  no  be- 
liever if  Jesus  hath  never  manifested  himself  to  your  soul  in  your 
secret  devotions,  in  the  house  of  prayer,  or  in  the  breaking  of 
bread,  in  so  sweet  and  overpowering  a  mnnner,  that  you  have 
cried  out,  "  Lord,  it  is  good  for  me  to  be  here."  But  though  it  be 
good  and  very  pleasant,  like  sunlight  to  ihe  eyes,  yet  the  Lord 
sees  that  it  is  not  wisest  and  best  always  to  be  there.  Peter  must 
come  down  again  from  the  mount  of  glory,  and  fight  the  good 
fight  of  faith  amid  the  shame  and  contumely  of  a  cold  and  scorn- 
ful world.  And  so  must  every  child  of  God.  We  are  not  yet  in 
heaven,  the  place  of  open  vision  and  unbroken  enjoyment.  This 
is  earth,  the  place  of  faith,  and  patience,  and  heavenward-pointing 
hope.  One  great  reason  why  close  and  intimate  enjoyment  of  the 
Saviour  may  not  be  constantly  realized  in  the  believer's  breast  is, 
to  give  room  for  hope,  the  third  string  that  forms  the  threefold 
cord.  Even  the  most  enlightened  believers  are  walking  here  in  a 
darksome  night,  or  twilight  at  most ;  and  the  visits  of  Jesus  to 
the  soul  do  but  serve  to  make  the  surrounding  darkness  more 
visible.  But  the  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand.  The  day 
of  eternity  is  breaking  in  the  east.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  is 
hasting  to  rise  upon  our  world,  and  the  shadows  are  preparino- 
to  flee  away.  Till  then,  the  heart  of  every  true  believer,  that 
knows  the  preciousness  of  close  communion  with  the  Saviour, 
breathes  the  earnest  prayer,  that  Jesus  would  often  come  again, 
thus  sweetly  and  suddenly,  to  lighten  him  in  his  darksome  pilgrim- 
age. Ah,  yes,  my  friends,  let  every  one,  who  loves  the  Lord 
Jesus  in  sincerity,  join  now  in  the  blessed  prayer  of  the  bride — 
"  Until  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  turn,  my  be- 
loved, and  be  thou  like  a  roe  or  a  voung  hart  upon  the  mountains 
ofBether." 


SERMON  XXV. 

OUR  DUTY  TO  ISRAEL.* 
"  To  the  Jew  first." — Rom.  i.,  16 

Most  people  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  The  wise  are 
ashamed  of  it,  because  it  calls  men  to  believe  and  not  to  argue ; 
the  great  are  ashamed  of  it,  because  it  brings  all  into  one  body  ; 
the  rich  are  ashamed  of  it,  because  it  is  to  be  had  without  money 
and  without  price  ;  the  gay  are  ashamed  of  it,  because  they  fear 

•  Preached  Nov.  17,1839,  after  returning  from  the  Mission  to  the  Jews. 


140  SERMON    XXV. 

it  will  destroy  all  their  mirth;  and  so  the  good  news  of  the  glori- 
ous Son  of  God  having  come  into  the  world  a  surety  for  lost  sin- 
ners, is  despised,  uncared  for — men  are  ashamed  of  it.  Who  are 
not  ashamed  of  it  ?  A  little  company,  those  whose  hearts  the 
Spirit  of  God  has  touched.  They  were  once  like  the  world  and 
of  it,  but  He  awakened  them  to  see  their  sin  and  misery,  and  that 
Christ  alone  was  a  refuge,  and  now  they  cry,  None  but  Christ, 
none  but  Christ !  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross 
of  Christ.  He  is  precious  to  their  heart ;  he  lives  there  ;  he  is 
often  on  their  lips,  he  is  praised  in  their  family;  they  would  fain  pro- 
claim him  to  all  the  world.  They  have  felt  in  their  own  experience 
that  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  the  Jew 
first,  and  also  to  the  Greek.  Dear  friends,  is  this  your  experience  ? 
Have  you  received  the  Gospel  not  in  word  only  but  in  power  ? 
Has  the  power  of  God  been  put  forth  upon  your  soul  along  with 
the  word  ?  Then  this  word  is  yours  ;  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ. 

One  peculiarity  in  this  statement  I  wish  you  to  notice. — He 
glories  in  the  Gospel  as  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  the 
Jew  first,  from  which  I  draw  this  Doctrine, — That  the  Gospel 
should  he  preached  'first  to  the  Jews. 

1.  Because  judgment  will  begin  with  them.^-Rom.  ii.,  6-10. 
"  Indignation  and  wrath,  to  the  Jew  first."  It  is  an  awful  thought 
that  the  Jew  will  be  the  first  to  stand  forward  at  the  bar  of  God 
to  be  judged.  When  the  great  white  throne  is  set,  and  He  sits 
down  upon  it  from  whose  face  the  heavens  and  earth  flee  away  ; 
when  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God  and  the  books 
are  opened,  and  the  dead  are  judged  out  of  those  things  that  are 
written  in  the  books,  is  it  not  a  striking  thought  that  Israel,  poor 
blinded  Israel,  will  be  the  first  to  stand  in  judgment  before  God  ? 

When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  him,  when  he  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory, 
and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations,  and  he  shall  separate 
them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats ;  when  the  awful  sentence  comes  forth  from  his  holy 
lips,  depart  ye  cursed  ;  and  when  the  guilty  many  shall  move 
away  from  before  him  into  everlasting  punishment ;  is  it  not 
enough  to  make  the  most  careless  among  you  pause  and  consider, 
that  the  indignation  and  wrath  shall  first  come  upon  the  Jew  ;  that 
their  faces  will  gather  a  deeper  paleness,  their  knees  knock  more 
against  each  other,  and  their  hearts  die  within  them  more  than 
Others  ? 

Why  is  this?  Because  they  have  had  more  light  than  any 
other  people.  God  chose  them  out  of  the  world  to  be  his  witness- 
es. Every  prophet  was  sent  first  to  them  ;  every  evangelist  and 
apostle  had  a  message  for  them.  Messiah  came  to  them.  He 
said,  "  I  am  not  sent  but  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel." 
The  word  of  God  is  still  addressed  to  them.     They  still  have  it 


SERMON    XXV.  141 

pure  and  unadulterated  in  their  hand  ;  yet  they  have  sinned  against 
all  this  light,  against  all  this  love.  "O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou 
that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stoncst  them  which  are  sent  unto 
thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even 
as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not!" 
Their  cup  of  wrath  is  fuller  than  that  of  oiher  men,  their  sea  of 
wrath  is  deeper.  On  their  very  faces  you  may  read  in  every 
clime  that  the  curse  of  God  is  over  them. 

Is  not  this  a  reason,  then,  why  the  gospel  should  first  be  preach- 
ed to  the  Jew?  They  are  ready  to  perish,  to  perish  more  dread- 
fully than  other  men.  The  cloud  of  indignation  and  wrath  that 
is  even  now  gathering  above  the  lost,  will  break  first  upon  the 
head  of  the  guilty,  unhappy,  unbelieving  Israel.  And  have  you 
none  of  the  bowels  of  Christ  in  you,  that  you  will  not  run  first  to 
them  that  are  in  so  sad  a  case  ?  In  a  hospital,  the  kind  physician 
runs  first  to  that  bed  where  the  sick  man  lies  who  is  nearest  to 
die.  When  a  ship  is  sinking,  and  the  gallant  sailors  have  left  the 
shore  to  save  the  sinking  crew,  do  they  not  stretch  out  the  arm 
of  help  first  to  those  that  are  readiest  to  perish  beneath  the  waves  ? 
And  shall  we  not  do  the  same  fur  Israel  ?  The  billows  of  God's 
anger  are  ready  to  dash  first  over  them  ;  shall  we  not  seek  to  bring 
them  first  to  the  rock  that  is  higher  than  they?  Their  case  is 
more  desperate  than  that  of  other  men ;  shall  we  not  bring  the 
good  physician  to  them,  who  alone  can  bring  health  and  cure  ?  for 
the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  the  Jew  first, 
and  also  to  the  Greek. 

I  cannot  leave  this  head  without  speaking  a  word  to  those  of 
you  who  are  in  a  situation  very  similar  to  that  of  Israel ;  to  you 
who  have  the  word  of  God  in  your  hands,  and  yet  are  unbelieving 
and  unsaved.  In  many  respects,  Scotland  may  be  called  God's 
second  Israel.  No  other  land  has  its  Sabbath  as  Scotland  has  ; 
no  other  land  has  the  Bible  as  Scotland  has ;  no  other  land  has 
the  gospel  preached  free  as  the  air  we  breathe,  fresh  as  the  stream 
from  the  everlasting  hills.  O  then,  think  ibr  a  moment,  you  who 
sit  under  the  shade  of  faithful  ministers,  and  yet  remain  uncon- 
cerned and  unconverted,  and  are  not  brought  to  sit  under  the 
shade  of  Christ,  think  how  like  your  wrath  will  be  to  that  of  the 
unbelieving  Jew.  And  think,  again,  of  the  marvellous  grace  of 
Christ,  that  the  gospel  is  first  to  you.  The  more  that  your  sins  are 
like  scarlet  and  like  crimson,  the  more  is  the  blood  free  to  you  that 
washes  white  as  snow  ;  for  this  is  still  his  word  to  all  his  ministers. 
Begin  at  Jerusalem. 

2.  It  is  like  God  to  care  first  for  the  Jews, — It  is  the  chief  glory 
and  joy  of  a  soul  to  be  like  God.  You  remember  this  was  the 
glory  of  that  condition  in  which  Adam  was  created.  "  Let  us 
make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness."  His  understanding 
was  without  a  cloud.  He  saw,  in  some  measure,  as  God  seeth. 
His  will  flowed  in  the  same  channel  with  God's  will.     His  aflec- 


142  SERMON    XXV. 

tions  fastened  on  the  same  objects  which  God  also  loved.  When 
man  fell,  we  lost  all  this,  and  became  children  of  the  devil,  and 
not  children  of  God.  But  when  a  lost  soul  is  brought  to  Christ, 
and  receives  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  puts  off  the  old  man,  and  puts  on 
the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness.  It  is  oiw  true  joy  in  this  world  to  be  like  God.  Too 
many  rest  in  the  joy  of  being  forgiven,  but  our  truest  joy  is  to 
he  like  him.  O  rest  not,  beloved,  till  you  are  renewed  after  His 
image,  till  you  partake  of  the  Divine  nature.  Long  for  the  day 
when  Christ  shall  appear,  and  we  shall  be  fully  like  him,  for  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  is. 

Now,  what  I  wisii  to  insist  upon  at  present  is,  that  we  should 
be  like  God,  even  in  those  things  which  are  peculiar.  We  should 
be  like  him  in  understanding,  in  will,  in  holiness,  and  also  in  his 
peculiar  affections.  "  Love  is  of  God,  and  every  one  that  loveth 
is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God.  He  that  loveth  not  knoweth 
not  God,  for  God  is  love."  But  the  whole  Bible  shows  that  God 
has  a  peculiar  affection  for  Israel.  You  remember  when  the  Jews 
were  in  Egypt,  sorely  oppressed  by  their  taskmasters,  God  heard 
their  cry,  and  appeared  to  Moses — "  I  have  seen,  I  have  seen,  the 
affliction  of  my  people,  and  I  have  heard  their  cry,  for  I  know 
their  sorrows." 

And,  again,  when  God  brought  them  through  the  wilderness, 
Moses  tells  them  why  he  did  it;  Deut.  vii.,  7.  "The  Lord  did 
not  set  his  love  upon  you,  nor  choose  you  because  ye  were  more 
in  number  than  any  people,  for  ye  were  the  fewest  of  all  people, 
but  because  the  Lord  loved  you."  Strange,  sovereign,  most  pe- 
culiar love.  He  loved  them  because  he  loved  them.  Should  we 
not  be  like  God  in  this  peculiar  attachment? 

But  you  say  God  has  sent  them  into  captivity.  Now,  it  is  true 
God  hath  scattered  them  into  every  land.  "  The  precious  sons  of 
Zion,  comparable  to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  esteemed  as  earthen 
pitchers!" — Lam.  iv.,  2.  But  what  says  God  of  this?  "I  have 
left  mine  house,  I  have  forsaken  mine  heritage,  I  have  given  the 
dearly  beloved  of  my  soul  into  the  hand  of  her  enemies." — Jer.  xii., 
7.  It  is  true  that  Israel  is  given,  for  a  little  moment,  into  the  hand 
of  her  enemies,  but  it  is  as  true  that  they  are  still  the  dearly  beloved 
of  his  soul.  Should  we  not  give  them  the  same  place  in  our  heart 
which  God  gives  them  in  his  heart?  Shall  we  be  ashamed  to 
cherish  the  same  affection  which  our  heavenly  Father  cherishes  ? 
Shall  we  be  ashamed  to  be  unlike  the  world,  and  like  God  in  this 
peculiar  love  for  captive  Israel  ? 

But  you  say  God  has  cast  them  off.  Hath  God  cast  away  his 
people  which  he  foreknew?  God  forbid  !  The  whole  Bible  con- 
tradicts such  an  idea.  Jer.  xxxi.,  20,  "  Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ? 
is  he  a  pleasant  child  ?  for  since  I  spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly 
remember  him  still.  Therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled  lor  him : 
I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord."    "  I  will  plant 


SERMON   XXV.  143 

them  again  in  their  own  land  assuredly,  with  n:iy  whole  heart  and 
wilh  my  whole  soul."  "  Zion  saith,  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  me, 
and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me.  Can  a  woman  forget  her  suck- 
ing child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her 
womb  ?  Yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee." — Isaiah 
xlix.,  14.  '•  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  as  it  is  written,  There 
shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodli- 
ness from  Jacob."  Now  the  simple  question  for  each  of  you  is, 
and  for  our  beloved  Church,  Should  we  not  share  with  God  in  his 
peculiar  affection  for  Israel  ?  If  we  are  filled  with  the  Spirit  of 
God,  should  we  not  love  as  he  loves  ?  Should  we  not  grave  Is- 
rael upon  the  palms  of  our  hands,  and  resolve  that  through  our 
mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mercy. 

3.  Because  there  is  peculiar  access  to  the  Jews. — In  almost  all 
the  countries  we  have  visited  this  fact  is  quite  remarkable ;  in- 
deed it  seems  in  many  places  as  if  the  only  door  left  open  to  the 
Christian  missionary  is  the  door  of  preaching  to  the  Jews. 

We  spent  some  time  in  Tuscany,  the  freest  state  in  the  whole 
of  Italy.  There  you  dare  not  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  population.  The  moment  you  give  a  tract  or  a  Bible,  it 
is  carried  to  the  priest,  and  by  the  priest  to  the  Government,  and 
immediate  banishment  is  the  certain  result.  But  the  door  is  open 
to  the  Jews.  No  man  cares  for  their  souls ;  and  therefore  you 
may  carry  the  Gospol  to  them  freely. 

The  same  is  the  case  in  Egypt  and  Palestine. — You  dare  not 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  deluded  followers  of  Mahomet;  but  you 
may  stand  in  the  open  market  place  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
Jews,  no  man  forbidding  you.  We  visited  every  town  in  the 
Holy  Land  where  Jews  are  found.  In  Jerusalem  and  in  Hebron 
we  spoke  to  them  all  the  words  of  this  life.  In  Sychar  we  rea- 
soned with  them  in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  open  bazaar.  In 
Chaifa,  at  the  foot  of  Carmel,  we  met  with  them  in  the  synagogue. 
In  Sidon  also  we  discoursed  freely  to  them  of  Jesus.  In  Tyre 
we  first  visited  them  in  the  synagogue  and  at  the  house  of  the 
Rabbi,  and  then  they  returned  our  visit ;  for  when  we  had  lain 
down  in  the  khan  for  the  heat  of  mid-day,  they  came  to  us  in 
crowds.  The  Hebrew  Bible  was  produced,  and  passage  after 
passage  explained,  none  making  us  afraid.  In  Saphet,  and  Tibe- 
rias, and  Acre,  we  had  the  like  freedom.  There  is  indeed  perfect 
liberty  in  the  Holy  Land  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  Jew. 

In  Constantinople,  if  you  were  to  preach  to  the  Turks,  as  some 
have  tried,  banishment  is  the  consequence;  but  to  the  Jew  you  may 
carry  the  message.  In  Wallnchia  and  Moldavia  the  smallest  at- 
tempt to  convert  a  Greek  would  draw  down  the  instant  vengeance 
of  the  holy  Synod  and  of  the  Government.  But  in  every  town 
we  went  freely  to  the  Jews — in  Bucarest,  in  Foxany,  in  Jassy, 
and  in  many  a  remote  Wallachian  hamlet,  we  spoke  without  hin- 
drance the  message  to  Israel.     The  door  is  wide  open. 


144  SERMON    XXV. 

In  Austria,  where  no  missionary  of  any  kind  is  allowed,  still 
we  found  the  Jews  willing  to  hear.  In  their  synagogues  we 
always  found  a  sanctuary  open  to  us,  and  often  when  they  knew 
they  could  have  exposed  us,  they  concealed  that  we  had  been 
there. 

In  Prussian  Poland,  the  door  is  wide  open  to  nearly  100,000 
Jews.  You  dare  not  preach  to  the  poor  Rationalist  Protestants. 
Even  in  Protestant  Prussia  this  would  not  be  allowed  ;  but  you 
may  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews.  By  the  law  of  the  land 
every  church  is  open  to  an  ordained  minister;  and  one  of  the 
m.issionarics  assured  me  that  he  often  preached  to  400  or  500 
Jews  and  Jewesses  at  a  time.  Schools  for  Jewish  children  are 
also  allowed.  We  visited  three  of  them,  and  heard  the  children 
taught  the  way  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer.  Twelve  years  ago 
the  Jews  would  not  have  come  near  a  church. 

If  these  things  be  true,  and  I  appeal  to  all  of  you  who  know 
these  countries  if  it  is  not ;  if  the  door  in  one  direction  is  shut, 
and  the  door  to  Israel  is  so  widely  open  ;  O  do  you  not  think  that 
God  is  saying  by  his  Providence  as  well  as  by  his  Word,  Go 
rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel  1  Do  you  think 
that  our  Church,  knowing  these  things,  will  be  guiltless  if  we  do 
not  obey  the  call?  for  the  Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion, to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek. 

4.  Because  they  will  give  life  to  the  dead  world. — I  have  often 
thought  that  a  reflective  traveller,  passing  through  the  countries 
of  this  world,  and  observing  the  race  of  Israel  in  every  land, 
might  be  led  to  guess,  merely  from  the  light  of  his  natural  reason, 
that  that  singular  people  arc  preserved  for  some  great  purpose  in 
the  world.  There  is  a  singular  fitness  in  the  Jew  to  be  the  mis- 
sionary of  the  world.  They  have  not  that  peculiar  attachment 
to  home  and  country  which  we  have.  They  feel  that  they  are 
outcasts  in  every  land.  They  are  also  inured  to  every  clime ; 
they  are  to  be  found  amid  the  snows  of  Russia  and  beneath  the 
burning  sun  of  Hindost.in.  They  are  also  in  some  measure  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  languages  of  the  world,  and  yet  have  one 
common  language — the  holy  tongue — in  which  to  communicate 
with  one  another.  All  these  things  must,  I  should  think,  suggest 
themselves  to  every  intelligent  traveller  as  he  passes  through 
other  lands.     But  what  says  the  Word  of  God? 

Zechariah  viii.,  13. — "  It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  as  ye  \vere  a 
curse  among  the  heathen,  O  h^nse  of  Judah  and  house  of  Israel ; 
so  will  I  save  you,  and  he  shall  be  a  blessing."  To  this  day  they 
are  a  curse  among  the  nations,  by  their  unbelief;  by  their  covet- 
ousness  ;  but  the  time  is  coming  when  they  shall  be  as  great  a 
blessing  as  they  have  been  a  curse. 

Micah  v.,  7. — "  And  the  remnant  of  Jacob  shall  be  in  the  midst 
of  many  people  as  a  dew  from  the  Lord,  as  the  showers  upon  the 
grass,  that  tarrielh  not  for  man,  nor  waiteth  for  the  sons  of  men." 


SERMON    XXV.  145 

Just  as  we  have  found,  among  the  parched  hills  of  Judah,  that  the 
evening  dew,  coming  silently  down,  gave  life  to  every  plant, 
making  the  grass  to  spring,  and  the  ilowers  to  put  forth  their 
sweetest  fragrance,  so  shall  converted  Israel  be  when  they  come 
as  dew  upon  a  dead  dry  world. 

Zech.  viii.,  23. — *'  In  those  days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  ten  men 
shall  take  hold,  out  of  all  languages  of  the  nations,  ev6n  shall  take 
hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying,  We  will  go  with  you; 
for  we  have  heard  that  God  is  with  you."  This  never  has  been 
fulfilled  ;  but  as  the  Word  of  God  is  true,  this  is  true.  Perhaps 
some  one  may  say,  If  the  Jews  are  to  be  the  great  missionaries  of 
the  world,  let  us  Sv^nd  missions  to  them  only.  We  have  got  a  new 
light — let  us  call  back  our  missionaries  from  India.  They  are 
wasiing  their  precious  lives  there  in  doing  what  the  Jews  are  to 
accomplish.  I  grieve  to  think  that  any  lover  of  Israel  should  so 
far  pervert  the  truth,  as  to  argue  in  this  way.  The  Bible  does  not 
say  that  we  are  to  preach  onli/  to  the  Jew,  .but  to*  the  Jew  first. 
"  Go  and  preach  the  gospel  to  all  nations,"  said  the  Saviour.  Let 
us  obey  his  Word  like  little  children.  The  Lord  speed  our  beloved 
missionaries  in  that  burning  clime.  The  Lord  give  them  good 
success,  and  never  let  one  withering  doubt  cross  their  pure  minds 
as  to  their  glorious  field  of  labor.  All  that  we  plead  for  is,  that,  in 
sending  our  missionaries  to  the  heathen,  we  may  not  forget  to 
begin  at  Jerusalem.  If  Paul  be  sent  to  the  Gentiles,  let  Peter  be 
sent  to  the  twelve  tribes  that  are  scattered  abroad  ;  and  let  not  a 
by-corner  in  your  hearts  be  given  to  this  cause — let  it  not  be  an 
appendix  to  the  other  doings  of.  our  Church,  but  rather  let  there  be 
written  on  the  very  front  of  your  hearts,  and  on  the  banner  of 
our  beloved  Church,  "  To  the  Jew  first,"  and  "  Beginning  at 
Jerusalem." 

Lastly,  Because  there  is  a  great  reward.  Blessed  is  he  that 
blesseth  thee  ;  cursed  is  he  that  curseth  thee.  Pray  for  the  peace 
of  Jerusalem ;  they  shall  prosper  that  love  her.  We  have  felt 
this  in  our  own  souls.  In  going  from  country  to  country,  we  felt 
that  there  was  one  before  us  preparing  our  way.  Though  we 
have  had  perils  in  the  waters  and  perils  in  the  wilderness,  perils 
from  sickness,  and  perils  from  the  heathen,  still  from  all  the  Lord 
has  delivered  us  ;  and  if  it  shall  please  God  to  restore  our  revered 
companions  in  this  mission,  in  peace  and  safety  to  their  anxious 
families,*  we  shall  then  have  good  reason  to  say,  that  in  keeping 
his  commandment  there  is  great  reward. 

But  your  souls  shall  be  enriched  also,  and  our  Church,  too,  if 
this  cause  find  its  right  place  in  your  affections.  It  was  well  said 
by  one  who  has  a  deep  place  in  your  affections,  and  who  is  now 
on  his  way  to  India,  that  our  Church  must  not  only  be  evangelical, 
but  evangelistic  also,  if  she  would  expect  the  blessing  of  God.    She 

*  Drs.  Black  and  Keith  were  at  this  time  still  detained  by  sickness  abroad. 
10 


146  SERMON    XXVI. 

must  not  only  have  the  light,  but  dispense  it  also,  if  she  is  to  be 
continued  as  a  steward  of  God.  May  I  not  take  the  liberty  of  add- 
ing to  this  striking  declaration,  that  we  must  not  only  be  evange- 
listic, but  evangelistic  as  God  would  have  us  to  be — not  only  dis- 
pense the  light  on  every  hand,  but  dispense  it  first  to  the  Jew. 

Then  shall  God  revive  his  work  in  the  midst  of  the  years. 
Our  whole  land  shall  be  refreshed  as  Kilsyth  has  been.  The 
cobwebs  of  controversy  shall  be  swept  out  of  our  sanctuaries,  the 
jarrings  and  jealousies  of  our  Church  be  turned  into  the  harmony 
of  praise,  and  our  own  souls  become  like  a  well-watered  garden. 


SERMON  XXVI. 

"  BLESSED    ARE    THE    DEAD."* 

'•  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth.  Yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors  :  and  their  works  do  follow  them." — 
Rev.  xiv  ,  13 

There  are  two  remarkable  things  in  the  manner  in  which  these 
words  are  given  to  us. 

I.  They  are  the  words  of  the  Father  echoed  hack  by  the  Spirit. — 
"  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven."  "Yea,  saith  the  Spirit."  John's 
eye  had  been  riveted  upon  the  •  wondrous  sight  mentioned  in 
verse  1.  A  Lamb  stood  on  Mount  Zion,  and  one  hundred  and 
forty-four  thousand  redeemed  ones  following  him  whithersoever 
he  gocth,  when  suddenly  a  still  small  voice  broke  upon  his  ear, 
saying,  "  Write,  blessed  are  the  dead  ;"  and  then  the  Holy  Spirit 
breathed  Amen,  "  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit." 

It  is  written  in  the  law  that  the  testimony  of  two  witnesses  is 
true.  Now  here  are  two  witnesses — the  Father  of  all  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  the  Comforter,  both  testifying,  that  it  is  a  happy  thing 
to  die  in  the  Lord.  Is  there  any  of  you,  God's  children,  who 
tremble  at  the  thought  of  dying?  Does  death  appear  a  monster 
with  a  dreadful  dart,  ready  to  destroy  you?  Here  are  two  sweet 
and  blessed  witnesses  who  declare  that  death  has  lost  its  sting — 
that  the  grave  has  lost  its  victory.  Listen,  and  the  frown  will 
disappear  from  the  brow  of  death :  the  valley  will  be  filled  with 
light ;  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  both  unite  in  saying, 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead." 

II.  "  WriteJ' — Whatever  is  written  down  is  more  durable,  and 
less  liable  to  be  corrupted,  than  that  which  is  only  spoken  from 

*  Preached  in  the  summer  of  1840 


i 


SERMON   XXVI.  147 

mouth  to  mouth.  For  this  reason  God  gave  the  Israelites  the  Ten 
Commandments,  written  with  his  own  finger  on  two  tables  of 
stone.  For  the  same  reason  he  commanded  them,  on  the  day  they 
passed  over  Jordan,  to  set  up  great  stones,  and  plaster  them  with 
plaster,  and  write  upon  them  all  the  words  of  that  law.  For  the 
same  reason,  God  commanded  his  servants,  the  prophets,  to  write 
their  prophecies,  and  the  apostles  to  write  their  gospels  and 
epistles,  so  that  we  have  a  permanent  Bible  instead  of  floating 
tradition.  For  this  reason,  did  Job  wish  his  words  to  be  written. 
"  O  that  my  words  were  written  !  O  that  they  were  printed  in  a 
book  !  That  they  were  graven  with  an  iron  pen,  and  with  lead  in 
the  rock  for  ever  !  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth."  Job.  xix., 
25.  It  was  one  of  his  precious,  ever  memorable  sayings,  a  saying 
to  comfort  the  heart  of  a  drooping  believer  in  the  darkest  hour — 
"  /  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth."  For  the  same  reason  did  the 
voice  from  heaven  say,  "  write" — do  not  hear  it  only  but  write  it 
—print  it  in  a  book,  grave  it  with  an  iron  pen,  with  lead  in  the 
rock  for  ever. 

"  Blessed  are  the  dead."  Learn  the  value  of  this  saying.  It  is 
a  golden  saying,  there  is  gold  in  every  syllable  of  it.  It  is  sweeter 
than  honey  and  the  honeycomb  ;  more  precious  than  gold,  yea, 
much  fine  gold.  It  is  precious  in  the  eyes  of  God.  Write  it  deep 
in  your  hearts  ;  it  will  solemnize  your  life,  and  will  keep  you  from 
being  led  away  by  its  vain  show.  It  will  make  the  syren  songs 
of  this  world  inconvenient,  and  out  of  tune  ;  it  will  sweetly  soothe 
you  in  the  hour  of  adversity  ;  it  will  rob  death  of  its  sting,  and  the 
grave  of  its  victory.  Write,  write  deep  on  your  heart,  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord." 

Now,  consider  the  words  themselves. 

1.  Blessed  are  the  dead." — The  world  say,  "  Rlessed  are  the 
living  ;"  but  God  says, "  Blessed  are  the  dead."  The  world  judge 
of  things  by  sense,  as  they  outwardly  appear  to  men  ;  God  judges 
of  things  by  what  they  really  are  in  themselves  ;  he  looks  at  things 
in  their  real  color  and  magnitude.  The  world  say,  "  Better  is  a 
living  dog  than  a  dead  lion."  The  world  look  upon  some  of  their 
families,  coming  out  like  a  fresh  blooming  flower  in  the  morning, 
their  cheeks  covered  with  the  bloom  of  health,  their  step  bounding 
with  the  elasticity  of  youth,  riches  and  luxuries  at  their  command, 
long,  bright  summer  days  before  them.  The  world  say,  '"  There 
is  a  happy  soul."  God  takes  us  into  the  darkened  room  where 
some  child  of  God  lately  dwelt.  He  points  to  the  pale  face  where 
death  sits  enthroned,  the  cheek  wasted  by  long  disease,  the  eye 
glazed  in  death,  the  stiff  hands  clasped  over  the  bosom,  the  friends 
standing  weeping  around,  and  he  whispers  in  our  ears,  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead."  Ah,  dear  friends,  think  a  moment !  whether  does 
God  or  you  know  best  ?  Who  will  be  found  to  be  in  the  right  at 
last?  Alas,  what  a  vain  show  you  are  walking  in  !  Disquieted 
in  vain.    *'  Man  that  is  in  honor  and  understandeth  not,  is  Uke  the 


148  SERMON    XXVI. 

beasts  that  perish."  Even  God's  children  sometimes  say, 
"  Blessed  are  the  l.ving."  It  is  a  happy  thing  to  live  in  the  favor 
of  God,  to  have  peace  with  God,  to  frequent  the  throne  of  grace, 
to  burn  the  perpetual  incense  of  praise,  to  meditate  on  his  word, 
to  hear  the  preached  gospel,  to  serve  God  ;  even  to  "wrestle,  and 
run,  and  fight  in  his  service  is  sweet.  Still  God  says,  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead."  If  it  be  happy  to  have  his  smile  Aere,  how  much 
happier  to  have  it  without  a  cloud  yonder  !  If  it  be  sweet  to  be 
the  growing  corn  of  the  Lord  here,  how  much  better  to  be  gathered 
into  his  barn  !  If  it  be  sweet  to  have  an  anchor  within  the  veil, 
how  much  better  ourselves  to  be  there,  where  no  gloom  can  come  I 
"  In  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy  ;  at  thy  right  hand  arc  pleasures 
for  evermore."  Even  Jesus  felt  this — God  attests  it.  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead." 

1,  Not  all  the  dead,  but  those  that  "die  in  the  Lord."  It  is 
truly  amazing  the  multitudes  that  die.  "  Thou  carriest  them  away 
as  with  a  flood."  Seventy  thousand  die  every  day,  aboqt  fifty 
every  minute,  nearly  one  every  second,  passing  over  the  verge. 
Life  is  like  a  stream  made  up  of  human  beings,  pouring  on,  and 
rushing  over  the  brink  into  eternity.  Are  all  these  blessed  ?  Ah, 
no.  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord."  Of  all  that  vast 
multitude  continually  pouring  into  the  eternal  world,  a  little  com- 
pany alone  have  savingly  believed  on  Jesus.  "  Strait  is  the  gate 
and  narrow  is  the  way  that  leadethunto  life,  and  /eu)  there  be 
that  find  it."  It  is  not  all  the  dead  who  are  blessed.  There  is  no 
blessing  on  the  Christless  dead  ;  they  rush  into  an  undone  eternity, 
unpardoned,  unholy.  You  may  put  their  body  in  a  splendid 
cotfin ;  you  may  print  their  name  in  silver  on  the  lid ;  you  may 
bring  the  well-attired  company  of  mourners  to  the  funeral  in  suits 
of  solemn  black ;  you  may  lay  the  coffin  slowly  in  the  grave  ;  you 
may  spread  the  greenest  sod  above  it ;  you  may  train  the  sweet- 
est flowers  to  grow  over  it ;  you  may  cut  a  white  stone,  and  grave 
a  gentle  epitaph  to  their  memory ;  still  it  is  but  the  funeral  of  a 
damned  soul.  You  cannot  w^rite  blessed  where  God  hath  written 
"  cursed."  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved  ;  he  that  belie veth  not 
shall  be  damned." 

Consider  what  is  implied  in  the  words,  "  in  the  Lord." 
1.  That  they  were  joined  to  the  Lord. — Union  to  the  Lord  has 
a  beginning.  Every  one  that  is  blessed  in  dying  has  been  con- 
verted. You  may  dislike  the  Word,  but  that  is  the  truth.  They 
•were  awakened  ;  began  to  weep,  pray,  weep  as  they  went  to  seek 
the  Lord  their  God.  They  saw  themselves  lost,  undone,  helpless ; 
that  they  could  not  be  just  with  a  holy  God.  They  became 
babes.  The  Lord  Jesus  drew  near,  and  revealed  himself.  "  I 
am  the  bread  of  Life."  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no- 
wise cast  out."  They  believed  and  were  happy  ;  rejoiced  in  the 
Lord  Jesus ;  counted  everything  but  loss  for  Christ.    They  gave 


SERMON   XXVI.  149 

themselves  to  the  Lord.     This  was  the  beginning  of  their  being 
in  Christ. 

Dear  friends,  have  you  had  this  beginning?  Have  you  under- 
gone conversion,  the  new  birth,  grafting  into  Christ?  Call  it  by 
any  name  you  will,  have  you  the  thing?  Has  this  union  to  Christ 
taken  place  in  your  history?  Some  say,  I  do  not  know.  If  at 
any  time  of  your  life  you  had  been  saved  from  drowning,  if  you 
were  actually  drowned  and  brought  to  life  again,  you  would 
remember  it  to  your  dying  hour.  Much  more  if  you  had  been 
brought  to  Christ.  If  you  had  been  born  blind,  and  by  some 
remarkable  operation  your  eyes  were  opened  when  you  were  full 
grown,  would  you  ever  forget  it?  So  if  you  have  been  truly 
brought  into  Christ,  you  may  easily  remember  it.  If  not,  you 
will  die  in  your  sins.  Whither  Christ  has  gone,  thither  you  cannot 
come.  "  Except  ye  repent  and  be  converted,  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish." 

2.  Perseverance  is  implied. — Not  all  that  seem  to  be  branches 
are  branches  of  the  true  vine.  Many  branches  fall  off  the  trees 
when  the  high  winds  begin  to  blow  ;  all  that  are  rotten  branches. 
So  in  times  of  temptation,  or  trial,  or  persecution,  many  false 
professors  drop  away.  Many  that  seemed  to  be  believers  went 
back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Jesus.  They  followed  Jesus ;  they 
prayed  with  him ;  they  praised  him,  but  they  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  him.  So  is  it  still.  Many  among  us  doubt- 
less seem  to  be  converted,  they  begin  well  and  promise  fair,  who 
will  fall  off  when  winter  comes.  Some  have  fallsn  off,  I  fear, 
already;  some  more  may  be  expected  to  follow.  These  will  not 
be  blessed  in  dying.  O  of  all  death  beds,  may  I  be  kept  from 
beholding  the  death-bed  of  the  falte  professor  !  I  have  seen  it 
before  now,  and  I  trust  I  may  never  see  it  again.  They  are  not 
blessed  after  death.  The  rotten  branches  will  burn  more  fiercely 
in  the  flames.  O  think  what  torment  it  will  be  to  think  that  you 
spent  your  life  in  pretending  to  be  a  Christian,  and  lost  your 
opportunity  of  becoming  one  indeed !  Your  hell  will  be  all  the 
deeper,  blacker,  hotter,  that  you  knew  so  much  of  Christ,  and 
were  so  near  him,  and  found  him  not.  Happy  are  they  who 
endure  to  the  end,  who  are  not  moved  away  from  their  hope  of 
the  gospel,  who,  when  others  go  away,  say.  Lord,  to  whom  can 
we  go?  In  prosperity,  they  follow  the  Lord  fully;  in  adversity, 
they  cleave  to  him  closer  still,  as  trees  strike  their  roots  deeper  in 
storms.  Is  this  your  case  ?  endure  it  to  the  end.  Be  not  moved 
away  from  the  hope  of  the  gospel ;  Coloss.  i.,  23.  We  are  made 
partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  confidence 
steadfast  unto  the  end  ;  Heb.  iii.,  15.  Even  in  the  dark  valley  you 
will  cling  to  him  still.  Come  to  him  as  ye  came  at  first,  a  guilty 
creature,  clinging  to  the  Lord  our  Righteousness.  Thou  wast 
made  my  sin.     This  is  to  die  in  the  Lord,  and  this  is  to  be  blessed. 


150  SERMON   XXTI, 

m.  Reasons  why  they  are  blessed. 

1.  Because  of  the  time,  "From  henceforth."  The  time  of  the 
persecutions  of  Popery  was  coming  on.  He  was  to  wear  out  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High  ;  he  was  to  overcome  and  slay  the  tbllow 
ers  of  the  Lamb.  Happy  are  they  that  are  taken  from  the  evil  to 
come.  The  righteous  perish  and  no  man  layeth  it  to  heart.' 
Merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none  considering  that  he  is  taken 
away  from  the  evil  to  come.  This  is  one  reason  why  it  is  better 
to  be  with  Christ.  Persecutions  and  troubles  are  not  easy  to  flesh 
and  blood.  If  in  our  day  we  be  called  to  them,  wc  must  bear 
them  boldly,  knowing  that  a  good  reward  is  provided  for  those 
that  overcome ;  see  Rev.  ii.,  3.  "  And  hast  borne,  and  hast 
patience,  and  for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored  and  hast  not  faint- 
ed." But  if  it  be  the  will  of  God  to  call  us  away  before  the  day 
of  trial  come,  we  must  say,  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth."  There  will  be  no  persecutions  there. 
All  are  friends  to  Jesus  there,  every  one  contending  who  shall 
cast  their  crowns  lowest  at  his  feet,  who  shall  exalt  him  highest  in 
their  praise.     No  discord  there.     None  to  rebuke  our  song  there. 

2.  They  rest  from  their  labors. — That  which  makes  everything 
laborious  here  is  sin ;  the  opposition  of  Satan  and  the  world,  and 
the  drag  of  our  old  nature.  Some  believers  have  a  constant 
struggle  with  Satan.  He  is  standing  at  their  right  hand  to  resist 
them ;  he  is  constantly  distracting  them  in  prayer,  hurling  fiery 
darts  at  their  soul,  tempting  to  the  most  horrid  sin.  Their  whole 
life  is  labor.  But  when  we  die  in  the  Lord,  we  shall  rest  from 
this  labor.  Satan's  work  will  be  clean  done.  The  accuser  of  the 
brethren  will  no  more  annoy.  No  lion  shall  be  there,  neithei 
shall  any  ravenous  beast  go  up  thereon,  but  the  redeemed  shall 
walk  there.  But  above  all,  the  wicked  heart,  the  old  man,  the 
body  of  sin,  makes  this  life  a  dreadful  labor.  When  we  wake  in 
the  morning,  it  lies  like  a  weight  upon  us.  When  we  would  run 
in  the  way  of  God's  commandments,  it  drags  us  back.  When  w^e 
would  fly,  it  weighs  us  down.  When  we  would  pray,  it  fills  our 
mouth  with  other  things.  "O  wretched  man  that  I  am."  But  to 
depart  and  be  with  Christ,  is  to  be  free  fi'om  this.  We  shall  drop 
this  body  of  sin  altogether.  No  more  any  flesh,  all  spirit,  all  new 
man  ;  no  more  any  weight  or  drag ;  we  shall  rest  from  our  labors. 
Oh,  it  is  this  makes  death  in  the  Lord  blessed.  We  shall  not  rest 
from  all  work ;  we  shall  be  as  the  angels  of  God ;  we  shall  serve 
him  day  and  night  in  his  temple.  We  shall  not  rest  from  our 
work,  but  from  our  labors.  There  will  be  no  toil,  no  pain,  in  our 
work.  We  shall  rest  in  our  work.  Oh,  let  this  make  you  willing 
to  depart,  and  make  death  look  pleasant,  and  heaven  a  home. 
"  We  shall  rest  from  our  laboVs."  It  is  the  world  of  holy  love, 
where  we  shall  give  free,  full,  unfettered,  unwearied  expression  to 
our  love  for  ever." 

3.  Works  follow. — Our  good  works  done  in  the  name  of  Jesus 


ADDRESS.  151 

shall  then  be  rewarded.  1st,  Observe,  they  shall  not  go  before 
the  soul.  It  is  not  on  account  of  them  we  shall  be  accepted.  We 
must  be  accepted  /f?-s^  altogether  on  account  of  him  in  whom  we 
stand.  2c?,  Our  evil  works  shall  be  forgotten,  buried  in  the  depths 
of  the  sea,  forgotten,  not  more  mentioned.  3d,  All  that  we  have 
done  out  of  love  to  Jesus  shall  then  be  rewarded.  We  may  forget 
them,  and  say  to  Jesus,  "  When  saw  we  thee  sick  or  in  prison,  and 
came  unto  thee  ?"  But  he  will  not  forget  them  :  "  Inasmuch  as 
ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me."  A  cup  of  cold  water  shall  not  go  unrewarded. 
Look  to  the  recompense  of  reward,  dear  friends,  and  it  will  take 
the  sting  from  death. 

IV.  What  followed. — The  Lord  Jesus  "  put  in  his  sickle  and 
reaped."     See  verses  14,  15. 

1.  Learn  that  the  Lord  Jesus  gathers  his  sheaves  before  a 
storm,  just  as  farmers  do  ;  so  when  you  see  him  gathering  ripe 
saints,  be  sure  that  a  storm  is  near. 

2.  Learn  that  Jesus  gathers  his  saints  in  love.  When  Jesus 
gathers  his  own,  he  does  it  in  love.  Do  not  mourn  for  them  as 
those  who  have  no  hope.  Jesus  has  gathered  them  into  his 
bosom.     They  shall  shine  as  the  sun. 


ADDRESS 

ON  THE  CLOSE  OF  A  COMMUNION  SABBATH. 

"  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?" — Hosea  xiv.,  8. 

Every  one  who  has  been  truly  united  to  Christ,  and  has  this  day 
confessed  him  before  men,  should  now  take  up  these  words,  and 
solemnly,  in  the  presence  of  God,  declare,  "  What  have  I  to  do 
any  more  with  idols?"     Two  reasons  are  given. 

I.  Verse  4. — God  loves  you  freely. — If  you  are  this  day  come 
to  Jesus,  God  loves  you  freely.  If  you  believe  on  him  that  justi- 
fieth  the  ungodly,  your  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.  As 
long  as  you  came  to  God  in  yourself,  you  were  infinitely  vile, 
loathsome,  condemned  ;  mountains  of  iniquity  covered  your  soul ; 
but  blessed,  blessed,  blessed  be  the  Holy  Spirit  who  has  led  you 
to  Jesus.  You  have  come  to  God's  righteous  servant,  who  by  his 
knowledge  justifies  many,  because  he  bears  their  iniquities.  Your 
sins  are  covered,  God  sees  no  iniquity  in  you ;  God  loves  you 
freely,  his  anger  is  turned  away  from  you.  What  have  you  to  do 
then  any  more  with  idols  ?     Is  not  the  love  of  God  enough  for 


152  ADDRESS. 

thee  ?  The  loving  and  much  loved  wife  is  satisfied  with  the  love 
of  her  husband ;  his  smile  is  her  joy,  she  cares  little  for  any  other. 
So,  if  you  have  come  to  Christ,  thy  Maker  is  thine  husband ;  his 
free  love  to  you  is  all  you  need,  and  all  you  can  care  lor ;  there  is 
no  cloud  between  you  and  God ;  there  is  no  veil  between  you  and 
the  Father ;  you  have  access  to  him  w^ho  is  the  fountain  of  hap- 
piness, of  peace,  of  holiness  ;  what  have  you  to  do  any  more  with 
idols  ?  Oh  !  if  your  heart  swims  in  the  rays  of  God's  love,  like  a 
little  mote  swimming  in  the  sunbeam,  you  will  have  no  room  in 
your  heart  for  idols. 

II.  Tlie  Spirit,  like  dew,  descends  on  your  souls. — Verse  5,  "  I 
will  be  like  the  dew."  If  you  are  this  day  united  to  Jesus,  the 
Spirit  will  come  like  dew  upon  your  soul.  The  Spirit  is  given  to 
them  that  obey  Jesus,  "  I  will  pray  the  Father."  When  all  nature 
is  at  rest,  not  a  leaf  moving,  then  at  evening  the  dew  comes 
down,  no  eye  to  see  the  pearly  drops  descending,  no  ear  to  hear 
them  falling  on  the  verdant  grass,  so  does  the  Spirit  come  to  you 
who  believe.  When  the  heart  is  at  rest  in  Jesus,  unseen,  unheard 
by  the  world,  the  Spirit  comes,  and  softly  fills  the  believing  soul, 
quickening  all,  renewing  all  within.  '*  If  I  go  away  I  will  send 
him  unto  you."  Dear  little  ones,  whom  God  hath  chosen  out  of 
this  world,  you  are  like  Gideon's  fleec(5,  the  Lord  will  fill  you 
with  dew  when  all  around  is  dry.  You  are  h's  vineyard  of  red 
wine ;  he  says,  I  will  water  it  every  moment,  silently,  unfelt,  un- 
seen, but  surely.  But,  ah !  that  Spirit  is  a  holy  Spirit.  "I  ihe 
Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God."  He  cannot  bear  an  idol  in  his 
temple.  When  the  ark  of  God  was  carried  into  the  temple  of 
Dagon,  the  idol  fell  flat  before  it ;  much  more  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  comes  into  the  heart  will  he  cast  out  the  idols. 

"  When  Christ  came  into  the  temple,  he  found  those  that  sold 
oxen,  and  sheep,  and  doves,  and  the  changers  of  money,  sitting; 
and  when  he  had  made  a  scourge  of  small  cords,  he  drove  them  all 
out  of  the  temple."  John  ii.,  15.  So  when  the  Holy  Spirit  comes 
into  any  heart,  he  drives  out  the  buyers  and  sellers.  If  you  have 
received  the  Spirit,  you  will  be  crying  now  in  your  heart,  Lord, 
take  these  things  hence ;  drive  them  out  of  my  heart.  What 
have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?  Some  of  the  idols  to  be  cast 
away  are, 

1.  Self -righteousness. — This  is  the  largest  idol  of  the  human 
'heart,  the  idol  which  man  loves  most  and  God  hates  most.  Dear- 
ly beloved,  you  will  always  be  going  back  to  this  idol.  You  are 
always  trying  to  be  something  in  yourself,  to  gain  God's  favor  by 
thinking  little  of  your  sin,  or  by  looking  to  your  repentance,  tears, 
prayers  ;  or  by  looking  to  your  religious  exercises,  your  frames, 
&c. ;  or  by  looking  to  your  graces,  the  Spirit's  work  in  your  heart. 
Beware  of  flilse  Christs.  Study  sanctification  to  the  utmost,  but 
make  not  a  Christ  of  it.     God  hates  this  idol  more  than  all  others 


ADDRESS  153 

because  it  comes  m  the  place  of  Christ ;  it  sits  on  Christ's  throne. 
Just  as  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary  is  the  worst  of  all  kinds 
of  idolatry,  because  it  puts  her  in  the  place  of  Christ,  so  self-right- 
eousness is  the  idol  God  hates  most,  for  it  sits  on  the  throne  of 
Christ.  Dash  it  down,  dear  friends ;  let  it  never  appear  ajiain. 
It  is  like  Manasseh's  carved  image  in  the  holiest  of  all.  When 
Manasseh  came  home  an  altered  man  to  Jerusalem,  would  not  his 
first  visit  be  to  the  holiest  of  all  ?  With  eager  hand  he  would 
draw  the  veil  aside  ;  and  when  he  found  the  carved  image,  he 
would  dash  it  down  from  the  throne  of  God.  Go  and  do  likewise. 
If  you  feel  God's  love  freely  by  the  righteousness  without  works, 
then  why  would  you  go  back  to  this  grim  idol  ?  What  have  I  to 
do  any  more  with  idols  ? 

2.  Darling  Sins. — Every  man  has  his  darling  sins.  Long  they 
kept  you  from  tlie  Lord  Jesus.  You  have  this  day  declared  that 
you  were  willing  to  leave  them  all  for  Christ.  Go  home,  then, 
and  perform  your  vows.  After  Hezekiah's  passover,  when  they 
had  enjoyed  much  of  the  love  and  spirit  of  God,  "  All  Israel  that 
were  present  went  home,  and  broke  the  images  in  pieces,  and  cut 
down  the  groves,  until  they  had  utterly  destroyed  them  all." 
You  might  have  seen  them  entering  the  shady  groves  and  dash- 
ing down  the  carved  imigcs.  Go  you  and  do  likewise.  Dash 
down  family  idols,  unholy  practices  that  have  spread  through  your 
family.  Dash  down  secret  idols  in  your  own  heart.  Leave  not 
one.  Remember,  one  Achan  in  the  camp  troubled  Israel,  and 
they  were  smitten  before  their  enemies.  So,  one  idol  left  in  your 
heart  may  trouble  you.  Let  Achan  be  slain  if  you  would  go  on 
your  way  rejoicing.  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols? 
"  If  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off." 

3.  tfnlawfid  attachments. — There  is  not  a  more  fruitful  source 
of  sin  and  misery  than  unlawful  attachments.  How  much  of  the 
poetry  and  music  of  our  country  are  given  over  to  the  worship  of 
the  idols  of  a  foolish  heart !  How  many  are  given  over  to  wor- 
ship a  piece  of  clay  that  will  soon  be  eaten  of  worms  !  O  my 
friends,  have  you  ielt  the  love  of  God  ?  Do  you  feel  the  sweet, 
full  beams  of  his  grace  shining  down  upon  your  soul  ?  Have  you 
received  the  dew  of  his  Spirit?  How  can  you,  then,  any  more 
love  a  creature  that  is  void  of  the  grace  of  God?  What  have 
you  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?  Dear  young  persons,  abhor  the 
idea  of  marriage  with  the  unconverted.  Be  not  unequally  yoked 
together  with  unbelievers.  Marry  only  in  the  Lord.  Remember, 
if  it  be  otherwise,  it  is  a  forbidden  marriage.  There  may  be  none 
on  earth  so  kind  or  fiithful  as  to  forbid  the  banns.  Earthly  friends 
may  be  kind  and  smiling;  the  marriage  circle  may  be  gay  and 
lovely  :  but  God  forbids  the  banns.  But  may  there  not  be  a  law- 
ful attachment?  I  believe  there  may  ;  but  take  heed  it  be  not  an 
idol.  I  believe  they  are  happiest  who  are  living  only  for  eternity, 
■who  have  no  object  in  this  world  to  divert  their  hearts  from  Christ. 


154  ADDRESS. 

"The  time  is  short;  it  remaineth  that  they  who  have  wives  be  as 
though  they  had  none."  "  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with 
idols'?" 

4.  Ministers. — You  have  good  reason  to  love  ministers,  and  to 
esteem  them  highly  for  their  works'  sake.  They  love  you ;  they 
watch  for  your  souls  as  they  that  must  give  an  account ;  they  bear 
you  on  their  hearts  ;  they  travail  in  birth  till  Christ  be  formed  in 
you ;  they  spend  and  are  spent  for  you  ;  they  often  endure  amaz- 
ing temptations,  agonies,  wrestlings,  for  your  sake. 

Some  have  been  your  spiritual  fathers.  This  is  a  holy  tie  that 
will  never  be  broken.  You  have  good  reason  to  love  your  spiri- 
tual father.  You  may  have  ten  thousand  instructors  in  Christ, 
&c. ;  but  ah  !  make  not  an  idol  of  them.  The  people  that  would 
have  worshipped  Paul,  were  the  very  people  that  stoned  him,  and 
left  him  for  dead.  O  I  wish  that  this  day  may  bring  you  so  near 
to  Christ,  and  so  much  under  the  love  of  God  and  the  dew  of  Israel, 
that  you  shall  no  more  glory  in  man!  What  have  I  to  do  any 
more  with  idols  ? 

5.  Earthly  pleasures. — This  is  a  smiling,  dazzling  idol,  that  has 
ten  thousand  worshippers,  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of 
God.  What  have  you  to  do  any  more  with  this  idol?  Some- 
times it  is  a  gross  idol.  The  theatre  is  one  of  its  temples,  there  it 
sits  enthroned.  The  tavern  is  another,  where  its  reeling,  stagger- 
ing votaries  sing  its  praise.  What  have  you  to  do  with  these  ? 
Have  you  the  love  of  God  in  your  soul,  the  Spirit  of  God  in  you? 
How  dare  you  cross  the  threshold  of  a  theatre  or  a  tavern  any 
more  ?  What !  the  Spirit  of  God  amid  the  wanton  songs  of  a^ 
theatre,  or  the  boisterous  merriment  of  a  tavern  !  Shame  on  such 
practical  blasphemy  !  No  ;  leave  them,  dear  friends,  to  be  cages 
of  devils  and  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.  You  must  never 
cross  their  threshold  any  more.  What  shall  I  say  of  games,  cards, 
dice,  dancing?  I  will  only  say  this,  that  if  you  love  them  you 
have  never  tasted  the  joys  of  the  new  creatiu'e.  If  you  feel  the 
love  of  God  and  the  Spirit,  you  will  not  lightly  sin  these  joys 
away  amid  the  vain  anxieties  of  cards,  or  the  rattling  of  senseless 
dice.  What  shall  I  say  of  simpering  tea-parties,  the  pleasures  of 
religious  gossipping,  and  useless  calls,  without  meaning,  sincerity, 
or  end  ?  I  will  only  say,  they  are  the  happiest  of  God's  children 
who  have  neither  time  nor  heart  for  these  things.  I  believe  there 
cannot  be  much  of  the  Spirit  where  there  is  much  of  these.  What 
shall  I  say  of  dress?  A  young  believer,  full  of  faith  and  joy,  was 
offered  a  present  of  flowers  for  her  hair.  She  would  not  take 
them.  She  was  pressed  to  accept  them  ;  still  she  refused.  Why 
will  you  not  ?  Ah,  she  said,  how  can  I  wear  roses  on  my  brow, 
when  Christ  wore  thorns  on  his?  The  joy  of  being  in  Christ  is 
so  sweet,  that  it  makes  all  other  joys  insipid,  dull,  lifeless.  In  his 
right  hand  are  riches  and  honors ;  in  his  left  are  length  of  days. 


ADDRESS.  155 

His  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness.     What,  then,  have  I  to  do  any 
more  with  idols? 

6,  Money. — Dear  souls,  if  you  have  felt  the  love  of  God,  the 
dew,  you  must  dash  down  this  idol.  You  must  not  love  money. 
You  must  be  more  open-hearted,  more  open-handed.  To  the  poor 
— "  He  that  gives  to  the  poor  lends  to  the  Lord."  "  Inasmuch  as 
ye  did  it  to  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me." 
You  must  build  more  churches.  God  be  praised  for  what  has  been 
done  ;  but  you  must  do  far  more.  I  have  as  many  in  this  parish 
who  go  nowhere  as  would  fill  another  church.  You  must  give 
more  to  missions,  to  send  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  to  the  Jews,  and 
to  the  Gentile  world.  O  how  can  you  grasp  your  money  in  hand 
so  greedily,  while  there  are  hundreds  of  millions  perishing?  You 
that  give  tens  must  give  your  hundreds.  You  that  are  poor  must 
do  what  you  can.  Remember  Mary,  and  the  widow's  mite.  Let 
us  resolve  to  give  the  tenth  of  all  we  have  to  God.  God  is  able 
to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you,  that  ye  always  having  all- 
sufficiency  in  all  things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work. 

7.  Fear  of  man. — Grim  idol,  bloody  mouthed  ;  many  souls  he 
has  devoured  and  trampled  down  into  hell !  His  eyes  are  full  of 
hatred  to  Christ's  disciples.  Scoffs  and  jeers  lurk  in  his  eye.  The 
laugh  of  the  scorner  growls  in  his  throat.  Cast  down  this  idol. 
This  keeps  some  of  you  from  secret  prayer,  from  worshipping 
God  in  your  family,  from  going  to  lay  your  case  before  ministers, 
from  openly  confessing  Christ.  You  that  have  felt  God's  love  and 
Spirit,  dash  this  idol  to  pieces.  Who  art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst 
be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die  ?  Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob. 
What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ? 

Dearly-beloved  and  longed-for,  my  heart's  desire  for  you  is,  to 
see  you  a  holy  people.  How  much  longer  my  ministry  may  be 
continued  among  you  God  only  knows  ;  but  if  God  give  me  health 
and  grace  among  you,  I  here  wiUingly  devote  my  all  to  him.  No 
moment^  no  pleasure,  no  ease,  no  wealth,  do  I  wish  for  myself.  I 
feel  that  he  has  bought  me,  and  I  am  his  property.  O  come,  give 
yourselves  to  the  Lord  with  me.  Bind  yourselves  to  the  horns  of 
God's  altar.  Time  past  is  enough  to  have  been  the  devil's,  the 
world's,  our  own.  Now,  let  us  be  Christ's  alone.  Are  you  wil- 
ling ?  Lord,  bear  witness  ;  seal  it  in  heaven  ;  write  it  in  thy 
book.  Bear  witness,  angels,  devils,  scowling  world,  bear  witness, 
sun  and  moon,  bear  witness,  stones  and  timber,  bear  witness,  Jesus, 
Lamb  of  God !  We  are  thine  now,  and  thine  for  ever.  What 
have  we  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ? 

25<A  Oct.,  1840. 


156  ADDRESS. 

ADDRESS. 

AFTER    THE    COMMUNION. 

"  But  ye,  beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on  your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life." — Jude  20-21. 

I.  Those  that  have  been  built  on  Christ  have  need  to  build  them- 
selves still  more  on  Christ. — If  you  come  rightly  to  this  table,  you 
have  been  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  and  carried,  and  laid  on  the  sure 
foundation.  Others  set  at  naught  that  stone,  but  to  you  it  is  the 
only  name  under  heaven.  You  have  been  built  on  Christ  alone 
for  righteousness.  Think  not  all  is  done,  forget  what  is  behind. 
You  have  begun  salvation,  work  out  your  salvation. 

1.  Build  yourselves  more  simply  on  Christ,  on  Christ  alone,  his 
blood  and  righteousness.  Some  are  like  a  stone  resting  half  on 
the  foundation  and  half  on  the  sand.  Some  take  half  their  peace 
from  Christ's  finished  work,  and  half  from  the  Spirit's  work  within 
them.  Now  the  whole  of  our  justification  must  be  from  Christ 
alone.     Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay. 

2.  Build  yourselves  more  surely  on  Christ.  Some  stones  do  not 
lie  smoothly  on  the  foundation,  they  are  apt  to  totter.  Seek,  bre- 
thren, to  get  a  sure  founding  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "  If  ye 
continue  in  the  faith  grounded  and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away 
from  the  hope  of  the  gospel."  It  is  easy  to  sail  with  a  gentle  sea 
and  the  wind  in  the  west,  but  the  gale  tries  whether  the  ship  be 
rightly  balanced.  It  is  easy  to-  believe  in  a  sunny  day  like  this, 
when  broken  bread  and  poured  out  wine  have  been  in  your  hands; 
but  stop  till  you  are  in  the  wilderness,  or  afar  at  sea  alone,  stop 
till  fresh  guilt  lies  on  the  conscience,  stop  till  a  strong  temptation 
blows  ;  O  then  to  rely  on  Christ  alone  for  righteousness  I  Under 
a  sight  of  sin,  Satan  grappling  with  the  soul ;  O  then  to  look  up 
into  the  face  of  Christ  and  say.  Thou  art  my  robe,  my  rtghteous- 
ness^  my  shield,  thy  blood,  thy  obedience  is  enough  for  me  I  this 
is  to  believe. 

II.  Pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost. — When  a  believer  prays  he  is  not 
alone,  there  are  three  with  him,  the  Father  seeing  in  secret,  his  ear 
open ;  the  Son  blotting  out  sin,  and  oflfering  up  the  prayer ;  the 
Holy  Ghost  quickening  and  giving  desires.  There  can  be  no  true 
prayer  without  these  three.  Some  people  pray  like  a  parrot,  re- 
peating words  when  the  heart  is  far  from  God.  Some  pray  with- 
out the  Father.  They  do  not  feel.  They  are  speaking  to  the  back 
of  their  chair,  or  to  the  world,  or  to  the  empty  air.  Some  pray 
without  the  Son.  They  come  in  their  own  name  ;  in  their  own 
righteousness.  That  is  the  sacrifice  of  fools.  Some  pray  with- 
out the  Holy  Ghost.  These  are  not  filled  with  divine  breath- 
ings.   Dear  friends,  if  you  would  live,  you  must  pray ;  and  if  you 


ADDRESS.  157 

would  pray  with  acceptance,  you  must  pray  to  the  Father  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  by  his  Spirit  quickening, 

1.  Get  the  Holy  Ghost. — Many  seem  not  to  know  if  there  be  a 
Holy  Spirit.'  Jesus  being  raised  by  the  Father,  has  obtained  the 
Spirit.     Ask  him. 

2.  Let  him  breathe  within  you.     Do  hot  vex  him. 

3.  Pray  without  ceasing. — Whatever  you  need,  ask  him  imme- 
diately. Have  set  times  of  approaching  God  solemnly.  Let 
nothing  interfere  with  these  times.     Take  your  best  time. 

III.  Keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God. — It  is  when  you  are 
built  on  Christ,  and  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  you  keep 
yourselves  in  the  love  of  God.  There  is  one  giorious-Being  whom 
God  loves  infinitely.  "  I  am  not  alone,  for  the  Father  is  with  me." 
He  loved  him  from  eternity,  for  the  pure,  spotless  image  of  him- 
self. He  loved  him  for  laying  down  his  life.  He  is  well  pleased 
for  his  righteousness'  sake.  The  eye  of  the  all-perfect  One  rests 
with  perfect  complacency  on  him.  Have  you  this  day  come  into 
Christ — this  day  come  under  his  shield — are  this  day  found  in 
him  ?     If  you  are  in  the  love  of  God,  keep  yourselves  there. 

L  Care  not  for  the  love  of  the  world. — If  you  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  its  own.  Its  best  smiles  are  little  worth. 
The  world  is  a  dying  thing — a  crucified  man  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ. 

2.  Prize  the  love  of  God. — Oh  it  is  sweet  to  be  in  the  garden 
of  spices — to  have  God  for  your  refuge — God  rejoicing  over  you. 
1st,  This  takes  all  the  sting  away  from  affliction.  God  is  love  to 
me.  The  hand  that  wounds  is  the  gentlest  and  most  loving. 
2d,  This  takes  their  sting  from  the  world's  reproaches.  3c?,  This 
makes  death  sweet.  It  is  a  leap  into  the  arms  of  infinite  love, 
though  to  some  a  leap  into  a  dark  eternity.  O  keep  yourselves  in 
the  love  of  God. 

IV.  Looking  for  mercy. — You  will  be  incomplete  Christians  if 
you  do  not  look  for  the  coming  again  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  If  the 
Table  has  been  sweet  to-day,  what  will  it  be  when  Jesus  comes 
again  to  receive  us  to  himself  ?  If  his  love-letters  and  love-tokens, 
sent  from  a  far  country,  be  so  sweet,  what  will  the  Bridegroom 
himself  be  when  he  comes  and  takes  us  by  the  hand  to  present  us 
to  himself,  and  acknowledge  us  before  an  assembled  world  ? 

L  You  will  get  an  open  acquittal  on  that  day. — Now  he  gives 
us  sweet  acquittal  at  the  bar  of  conscience:  he  says,  "  Peace  be 
unto  you."  But  when  it  is  open,  we  shall  wear  the  blood-washed 
robe.     It  will  need  to  be  mercy  even  at  that  day. 

2.  Perfect  deliverance  from  sin. — Now  he  gives  us  the  victory 
by  faith.  He  gives  us  to  feel  the  thorn,  and  to  look  up  for  grace 
sufficient.  Then  he  will  take  the  thorn  away.  We  shall  be  like 
Jesus  in  soul  and  body.     O  be  casting  sweet  looks  of  love  towards 


158  SERMON   XXVII. 

that  day.  When  a  child  is  expecting  nn  elder  brother's  return, 
when  he  is  to  bring  some  gift,  how  often  he  runs  to  the  window 
and  watches  for  his  coming.  Your  elder  brother  is  coming  with 
a  sweet  gift.  O  cast  your  eye  often  towards  the  clouds,  to  see  if 
.they  will  break  and  let  his  beautiful  feet  through  !  Shorten  the 
time  by  anticipation. 

3.  Jesus  no  more  dishonored. — Honor  to  the  Lamb  is  a  sweet 
mercy  to  a  believing  soul.  A  high  day  like  this,  when  Jesus  gets 
many  a  crown  cast  at  his  feet,  is  sweet  to  a  believing  soul.  How 
much  more  the  day  when  we  shall  wear  his  full  crown,  and  when 
the  slain  lamb  shall  be  fully  praised ;  and  when  he  shall  come  to 
be  glorified,  who  once  came  to  be  spit  upon.  That  truly  shall  be 
mercy  to  our  poor  soul.     Our  cup  shall  run  over. 

3d  January,  1841. 


SERMON  XXVII. 


TURN    YOU    AT    MY    REPROOF. 


"  Wisdom  crieth  without ;  she  uttereth  her  voice  in  the  streets  :  she  crieth  in  the 
chief  places  of  concourse,  in  the  openings  of  the  gates:  in  the  city  she  uttereth 
her  words,  saying,  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  simplicity  ?  and  the 
scorners,  delight  in  their  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge  ?  Turn  you  at  my 
reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make  known  my 
words  unto  you." — Prov.  i.,  20-23. 

That  none  other  than  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  intended  to  be 
painted  to  us  under  the  majestic  figure  of  Wisdom  in  the  Book  of 
Proverbs,  is  evident  from  the  passage  before  us.  Of  whom  but  • 
the  Saviour  could  it  be  said  so  truly  that  he  stood  with  outstretch- 
ed hands  in  the  streets,  in  the  markets,  and  in  the  openings  of  the 
gates,  crying  after  the  simple  ones — the  publicans  and  sinners  ; 
and  the  scorners — the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ;  and  those  haters  of 
knowledge — the  Jewish  priesthood  ?  And  again,  of  whom  but 
the  Saviour  could  it  be  said,  with  any  truth  at  all,  that  he  offered 
to  '^  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  the  returning  sinner,  and  to  make 
known  his  words  unto  him  ?"  Christ  alone  "  hath  ascended  up  on 
high,  leading  captivity  captive  ;  and  hath  received  gifts  for  men, 
yea,  even  for  the  rebellious,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among 
them." 

Before  pressing  home  upon  you,  brethren,  this  earnest  and  soul- 
piercing  call  of  the  Saviour,  there  are  two  explanations  which  I 
anxiously  desire  you  to  bear  in  mind — First,  That  the  call  of  the 
Saviour,  in  the  words  before  us,  and  the  promise  with  which  it  is 
accompanied,  are  addressed  to  sinners,  and  not  to  saints.  Nay 
more,  they  are  not  addressed  to  all  sinners  promiscuously ;  they 


scnMON  xxvn .  • 159 

are  not  addressed  to  those  who  have  been  awakened  to  know  their 
sin  and  danger,  and  are  crying  out,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  dol"  but  they  are  addressed  to  the  simple  ones,  who  are 
loving  their  simplicity — to  the  scorners,  who  delight  in  their  scorn- 
ing— to  the  fools,  that  hate  knowledge.  The  Bible  is  full  of  most 
precious  promises  to  Christ's  "  hidden  ones,"  his  peculiar  people, 
his  body,  his  bride  ;  and  there  are  many  pressing  calls  and  most 
winning  encouragements  to  those  in  whom  God  hath  begun  the 
good  work  by  convincing  them  of  sin.  But  the  words  before  us 
belong  to  neither  of  these  ;  they  are  addressed  to  those  who  are 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  to  those  who  are  so  much  lost  that 
they  do  not  know  that  they  are  lost ;  to  those  who  are  happy  and 
comfortable  in  their  sins  ;  to  those  who  have  not  a  doubt  as  to  the 
sufficiency  of  their  worldly  decency  and  respectability  as  a 
righteousness  before  God,  and  who  do  not  so  much  as  move  the 
question  whether  they  are  saved  or  unsaved  ;  the  simple  ones  loving 
their  simplicity,  the  scorners  who  delight  in  scorning,  the  fools  who 
hate  knowledge. 

Is  there  none  of  you  who  has  a  secret  suspicion  that  he  may  be 
just  one  of  these  characters  which  we  have  described  ?  I  would 
beseech  that  man  to  feel  that  he,  then,  is  this  day  addressed  by  the 
Saviour,  not  in  the  accents  of  wrath,  but  of  tenderest  kindness. 
It  is  to  you  that  Jesus  stretches  out  these  beseeching  hands.  It  is 
to  you  that  Jesus  speaks  these  gentle  words.  Oh !  how  blinded 
you  are  to  the  bowels  and  compassions  of  the  Saviour.  Oh  !  how 
you  dishonor  him  every  day  by  your  hard  and  blasphemous 
thoughts  of  him.  You  think  that  because  you  delight  in  going 
away  from  him,  therefore  he  hath  nothing  but  messages  of  anger 
and  of  coming  judgment  for  you.  But,  oh  !  how  much  wiser  to 
gather  his  thoughts  toward  you  from  his  own  words  :  "  Turn  you 
at  my  reproof.  Behold  I  will  pour  out,  not  judgment,  but  my  Spirit 
unto  you,  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto  you." 

My  second  explanation  is.  That  the  call  of  Christ  is  to  an  im- 
mediate conversion.  He  doth  not  say  :  Why  will  ye  love  your 
simplicity  ?  but,  "  How  long  will  ye  love  your  simplicity  ?"  And 
again,  he  doth  not  say,  Turn  at  any  time,  and  I  will  pour  out  my 
Spirit  unto  you  ;  but,  "  Turn  at  my  reproof ;"  that  is,  Turn  this 
day  while  I  am  reproving  you.  Immediate  turning  unto  God — 
immediate  application  to  the  blood  of  Christ — immediate  accept- 
ance of  the  righteousness  of  God — a  movement  this  day — conver- 
sion this  day — this,  and  nothing  but  this,  is  the  doctrine  of  the  text. 
Let  none  of  you  say,  I  will  take  the  gracious  offer  into  considera- 
tion— I  will  take  up  the  question  some  day  soon  with  all  due  de- 
liberation— I  will  set  apart  some  futiwe  day  for  the  very  purpose 
of  settling  it.  •  That  man  of  you  is  as  effectually  casting  a  mockery 
on  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  as  if  he  were  to  say,  I  will  have 
neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter.  It  is  not  resolutions  for  the 
future  that  Christ  asks  of  you,  and  to  which  he  attaches  the  pro- 


160  SERMON   XXVII. 

mise  of  the  Spirit :  it  is  a  turning  this  day — conversion  this  day^ 
whilst  he  is  reproving  yoii. 

Having  premised  these  things,  it  is  now  my  desire  to  press 
home  upon  you  the  call  of  the  Saviour  by  means  of  three  argu- 
ments. 

I.  The  call  of  the  Saviour  ought  to  he  obeyed  by  you,  because  of 
the  rich  promise  icith  which  it  is  seconded. — "  Turn  you  at  my  re- 
proof: behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make 
known  my  words  unto  you." 

Often  in  the  Bible  are  sinners  entreated  to  turn  and  believe  on 
Jesus,  for  the  sake  of  the  peace  and  the  pardon  to  be  found  in  be- 
lieving ;  but  the  argument  here  is  a  more  rare,  and' perhaps  a  still 
more  moving  one.  Here  you  are  besought  to  turn  and  believe, 
that  you  may  be  made  new  creatures  :  "  Turn  you  at  my  reproof: 
behuid  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you." 

1.  Think  how  essential  such  a  change  is  to  your  well-being: 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  sec  the  kingdom  of  God." 
"  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  To  dwell  in  the 
new  heavens  and, the  new  earth,  we  must  be  made  new  creatures. 
There  will  be  exquisite  scenery  in  heaven,  when  the  pearly  gates 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  appear ;  but  a  blind  man  could  not  enjoy 
it.  There  will  be  exquisite  melody  in  heaven,  from  the  golden 
harps  of  angels  and  the  redeemed  ;  but  a  man  without  an  ear  for 
music  could  not  enjoy  it.  And  just  so  there  will  be  spotless  holi- 
ness in  heaven — it  will  be  the  very  atmosphere  of  heaven — how, 
then,  could  an  unholy  soul  enjoy  it  ?  "  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto 
you,  Ye  must  be  born  again."     But  if  this  be  an  essential  change — 

2.  Think  how  impossible  it  is  with  man.  Search  every  sect 
and  system  of  philosophy,  search  every  plan  of  education,  search 
from  one  end  of  the  earth  to  the  other,  where  will  you  find  a  power 
to  make  you  holy  ? 

"  The  depth  saith,  It  is  not  in  me  : 
And  the  sea  saith.  It  is  not  with  me. 
It  cannot  be  gotten  for  gold, 

Neither  shall  silver  be  weighed  for  the  price  thereof. 
No  mention  shall  be  made  of  coral,  or  of  pears  : 
For  the  price  of  Wisdom  is  above  rubies." 

A  man  may  be  able  to  change  his  sins,  but,  ah  !  what  man  can 
change  his  heart  ?  The  reason  why  this  is  utterly  impossible  with 
man,  is,  that  he  is  not  only  fond  of  the  objects  of  sin,  but  he  is  fond 
of  his  sinful  heart ;  he  is  not  only  simple,  but  he  loves  his  sim- 
plicity ;  not  only  scornful,  but  delights  in  scorning ;  not  only  a 
fool,  but  he  hates  the  very  knowledge  that  would  make  him  wise 
unto  salvation.  Which  of  you,  then,  does  not  feel  the  power  of 
the  Saviour's  tenderness  in  the  offer  which  he  makes  this  day  to 
the  most  careless  and  unawakcned  of  you  all :  "  Turn  you  at  my 
reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you."     If  you  will 


SERMON    XXVII.  161 

only  turn  and  accept  of  Christ  this  day,  he  offers  to  give  you  that 
Spirit  which  alone  c:\n  make  you  a  new  creature — which  alone 
can  give  you  a  heart  that  will  do  for  heaven. 

You  utterly  mistake  the  matter,  if  you  think  that  Christ  here 
offers  to  put  you  under  a  system  of  strictness  and  restraint.     You 
utterly  mistake  the  matter,  if  you  think  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  is  to 
make  you  walk  in  ways  of  preciseness  and  of  pain ;  for  the  whole 
Bible  testifies,  that  the  ways  in  which  the  Spirit  leads  us  are  ways 
of  pleasantness  and  peace.     Suppose  a  man  happened  to  be  so 
foolish  and  inconsiderate  as  to  have  an  invincible  relish  for  some 
poisonous  drug,  because  of  the  sweetness   and  agreeableness  of 
the  taste ;  and  had  formed  the  habit  of  making  such  constant  use 
of  it  that  death  would,  through  time,  be  the  inevitable  consequence. 
I  can  imagine  two  ways  in  which  the  friends  of  that  inconsiderate 
man,  anxious  for  his  life,  might  cure  him  of  his  strange  and  most 
destructive  appetite.     1st,  They  might  forcibly  restrain  and  keep 
him  away  from  the  use  of  the  poison,  forbidding  it  even  to  be 
brought  within  his  sight.     This  would  be  the   system  of  restric- 
tion ;  the  appetite  would  remain,  but  it  would  be  crossed  and  de- 
nied.    Or,  'Zdly,  Instead  of  forcibly  taking  away  the  poison,  they 
might  bring  new  and  wholesome  objects  before  him,  the  taste  of 
which  was   far  more  agreeable  and    excellent ;    so  that,  when 
once  he  had  tasted  these,  there  would  be  no  fear  of  his  so  much  as 
desiring  the  poison  any  more.     A  new  taste  has  been  introduced, 
so  that  the  drug  which  seemed  sweet  and  agreeable  before,  seems 
now  no  longer  palatable.     Now,  though  this  parable  be  a  very 
imperfect  one,  yet  it  shows  distinctly  the  one  feature  in  sanclifica- 
tion  which  I  wish  to  bring  into  view,  namely,  its  pleasantness. 
The  Spirit  which  Christ  offers  sanctifies  us  never  in  the  first  way, 
but  always  in  the  second  way ;    not  by  restraining  us,  but  by 
making  us  new.     By  nature  we  love  sin,  the  world  and  the  thing's 
of  the  world,  though  we  know  that  the   wages  of  sin  is  death. 
Now,  to  cure  this  1  can  imagine  a  man  setting  himself  down 
deliberately  to  cross  all  his  corrupted  passions,  to  restrain  all  his 
appetites,  to  reject  and  trample  on  all  the  objects  that  the  natural 
heart  is  set  upon.     This  is  the  very  system  recommended  by  Sa- 
tan, by  anti-Christ,  and  the  world.     But  there  is  a  far  more  excel- 
lent way,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  makes  use  of  in  sanctifying  us ; 
not  the  way  of  changing  the  objects,  but  the  way  of  changing  the 
affections  ;  not  by  an  external  restraint,  but  by  an  internal  renew- 
ing.    As  it  is  said  in  Ezekiel ;  "A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you, 
and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you ;  and  I  will  take  away  the 
stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh; 
and  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments  and  do  them."     Ah ! 
then,  brethren,  if  there  be  one  poor  sinner  here  who  has  been  de- 
ceived by  the  detestable  heresy  of  the  world — as  if  the  keeping 
of  the  commandments  by  the  saints  were  a  grievous  and  unwilling 

11 


162  SERMON    XXVII. 

service — let  that  man.  this  day,  open  his  eyes  to  the  true  nature 
of  Gospel  holiness — that  God  docs  not  offer  to  work  in  you  to  g?o, 
without  first  working  in  you  to  will.  He  does  not  offer  to  pluck 
from  you  your  favorite  objects ;  but  he  offers  to  give  you  a  new 
taste  for  higher  objects  ;  and  just  as  the  boy  finds  it  no  hardship  to 
cast  away  the  toys  and  trifles  that  were  his  bosom  friends  in  child- 
hood, so  ihe  saint  feels  no  hardship  in  casting  away  the  wretched 
playthings  that  so  long  amused  and  cheated  the  soul ;  for  behold  a 
new  world  hath  been  opened  up  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  the  ad- 
miring, enamored  gaze  of  the  believer  in  Jesus. 

Behold,  then,  ye  simple  ones,  that  are  loving  your  simplicity, 
what  an  argument  is  here  to  move  you  to  immediate  conversion  ; 
to  immediate  acceptance  of  Jesus  !  If  you  will  only  put  on  Christ, 
behold  he  offers  this  day  to  begin  the  work  of  creating  you  anew  ; 
not  of  crossing  and  restraining  you, and  tying  you  down  to  services 
which  you  loathe,  but  of  giving  you  a  taste  and  a  delight  in  ob- 
jects which  angels,  which  every  holy  and  happy  being  delights  in. 
"  Turn  you  at  my  reproof." 

II.  The  call  of  the  Saviour  to  turn  now  ought  to  be  obeyed  by 
us,  because  conversion  becomes  every  day  harder. — There  is  no  law 
of  our  nature  that  works  with  a  surer  and  more  silent  power  than 
the  law  of  habit.  That  which  at  first  we  find  the  utmost  difficulty 
in  accomplishing,  becomes  easier  upon  every  trial,  till  habit  be- 
comes as  it  were,  a  second  nature.  Thus,  in  learning  to  read, 
how  slow  and  how  gradual  is  the  progress  made  !  until,  trained 
by  oft-repeated  trial,  the  stammering  tongue  befcomes  the  tongue 
of  grace  and  fluency.  Nay,  so  easy  does  the  art  become,  that  we 
at  length  forget  to  notice  the  very  letters  which  compose  the 
words  we  read.  Just  similar  is  the  growth  of  habit  in  sinning. 
Depraved  as  is  the  natural  heart,  yet  the  ingenuous  mind  of  youth 
finds  something  painful  and  revolting  in  acquiring  the  first  oath 
which  fashion  or  companionship  obliges  him  to  learn.  The  loose 
jest  and  the  irreligious  sneer,  will  generally  summon  up  the  blush 
of  indignation  in  the  cheek  of  the  simple-hearted  boy,  newly  usher- 
ed into  the  busy  world.  But  who  does  not  know  the  power  of 
habit  in  rubbing  off  the  fine  varnish  of  the  delicate  mind  1  who 
has  not  within  a  few  months,  heard  the  oath  drop  as  if  with  native 
vivacity  from  the  tongue  ?  who  has  not  seen  vice  and  profanity 
pass  unreproved,  even  by  the  silent  blush  of  shame  ?  As  it  is 
with  these  sins,  so  it  is  with  the  greatest  sin  of  which  humanity  is 
guilty  ;  the  sin  of  rejecting  the  Saviour.  There  is  a  time  in  youth 
when  the  mind  seems  peculiarly  open  to  the  reception  of  a  Saviour. 
There  is  a  time  when  the  understanding  and  the  affections  sud- 
denly burst  forth  into  maturity,  like  the  rose-bud  bursting  into  the 
full-blown  rose ;  a  time  when  all  the  passions  of  our  nature  spurn 
control,  and  break  forth  with  a  reckless  impetuosity ;  and  all  ex- 
perience testifies  that  that  is  the  time  when  conviction  of  sin  may 


SERMON   XXVII.  163 

most  easily  be  wrouorht  in  the  soul ;  the  time  when  the  work  and 
sufferings  of  the  Saviour  may  with  greatest  hope  of  success  be 
presented  to  the  mind.  It  is  then  that  the  whole  scene  of  Gospel 
truth  flashes  upon  the  mind  with  a  freshness  and  a  power  which, 
in  all  human  probability,  it  never  will  do  again.  The  tenderness 
of  a  Saviour's  love,  if  resisted  then,  will  every  day  lose  more  of  its 
novelty  and  of  its  power  to  touch  the  heart ;  the  habit  of  resist- 
ance to  the  word  and  testimony  of  a  beseeching  God  will  every 
day  become  more  predominant ;  the  stony  heart  will  every  day 
become  more  a  heart  of  adamant ;  the  triple  brass  of  unbelief  will 
every  day  become  more  impenetrable.  Oh  !  my  friends,  it  is  fear- 
ful to  think  how  many  among  us  are  every  hour  subjecting  our 
hearts  to  this  sure  and  silent  process  of  hardening.  Look  back, 
brethren,  as  many  of  you  may  do,  to  the  time  when  Christ  and  his 
sufferings  had  first  an  awakening  interest  to  your  soul.  Look 
back  to  the  first  death  in  your  family,  or  the  first  time  you  pre- 
pared to  sit  down  at  the  holy  sacrament.  Were  there  not  arous- 
ing, quickening  feelings  stirred  in  your  breast,  which  now  you 
have  not  ?  Had  you  not  some  struggle  of  conscience  ;  something 
like  a  felt  kicking  against  the  pricks,  in  rejecting  Christ,  in  putting 
away  the  tenderness  of  the  tenderest  of  beings  ?  But  you  were 
successful  in  the  struggle,  you  smothered  every  disquieting  whis- 
per, you  lulled  every  pang  of  uneasiness.  The  Spirit  was  striv- 
ing with  you ;  but  you  quenched  his  awakening  influences.  And 
now,  do  you  not  feel  that  these  days  of  feeling  are  well-nigh  past ; 
that  spirit-stirring  seasons  are  becoming  every  year  rarer  and 
rarer  to  you  ?  Deaths  are  more  frequent  around  you  ;  but  they 
speak  with  less  power  to  your  conscience.  Every  sacrament 
seems  to  lose  something  of  its  affecting  energy ;  every  Sabbath 
becomes  more  dull  and  monotonous.  It  is  true  you  may  not  feel 
all  this.  There  is  a  state  of  the  conscience  in  which  it  is  said  to 
be  past  feeling.  But  if  there  be  any  truth  in  the  Bible,  and  any 
identity  in  human  nature,  this  process  of  hardening  is  going  on  day 
after  day  in  every  unconverted  mind.  Oh  !  it  is  the  saddest  of  all 
sights  that  a  godly  minister  can  behold,  to  see  his  flock,  Sabbath 
alter  Sabbath,  waiting  most  faithfully  on  the  stirring  ministrations 
of  the  Word,  and  yet  going  away  unawakened  and  unimpressed  ; 
for  well  he  knows  that  the  heart  that  is  not  turned,  is  all  the  more 
hardened. 

How  simple  and  how  mighty  an  argument  is  here  to  persuade 
you  to  turn  to  God  this  day.  This  day  we  hold  out  to  you  all  the 
benefits  to  be  found  in  Christ ;  forgiveness  through  his  blood,  ac- 
ceptance through  his  righteousness,  sanctification  by  his  Spirit. 
Reject  them,  and  you  add  not  only  another  act  of  sin  to  the  burden 
of  your  guilt,  but  you  add  another  hardening  crust  to  your  im- 
penetrable heart.  This  day  refuse  Christ,  and,  by  all  human  calcu- 
lation, you  will  more  surely  refuse  him  the  next  day ;  so  that, 
without  at  all  meaning  to  question  the  sovereignty  of  the  Spirit  of 


164  SERMON    XXVII. 

God,  who  worketh  whensoever  and  on  whomsoever  it  pleaseth  hinn, 
the  only  conclusion  that  any  reasonable  man  has  a  right  to  come  to, 
is,  that  this  day,  of  all  days  between  this  and  judgment,  is  the  best 
and  hkeliest  for  your  conversion  ;  and  your  dying  day — that  sad 
season  of  tossings  and  heavings,  before  the  spirit  is  torn  from  its 
earthly  tenement — is,  in  all  human  calculation,  the  worst  day  of 
your  life  for  turning  unto  God.  When  the  minister  of  Christ  pulls 
aside  the  curtains  of  your  bed,  to  speak  the  word  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  ear  that  for  a  whole  lifetime  has  heard  the  glad  message  of 
salvation  all  unmoved,  will,  in  that  hour,  hear  as  if  it  did  not  hear. 
Tlie  heart  that  has  so  long  turned  aside  the  edge  of  the  Word  of 
.Life,  will  then  be  like  the  nether  millstone.  "  To-day,  then,  if  ye 
will  hear  His  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 

III.  The  call  of  the  Saviour  to  turn  now  ought  to  be  obeyed  by 
us,  because  the  Saviour  will  not  always  call. — '•  My  Spirit  will  not 
always  strive  with  man,"  vv^as  the  warning  of  God  given  to  the 
antediluvian  world.  "  Now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes,"  was  a 
similar  warning  given  by  the  Saviour  to  Jerusalem.  And  the  pas- 
sage immediately  following  the  text,  expresses  the  same  sentiment 
in  still  more  fearful  language.  And  who  does  not  see  the  solem- 
nity and  power  which  it  gives  to  the  call  of  the  Saviour,  that  the 
time  is  at  hand  when  he  will  not  call  any  more  ? 

Behold  yon  majestic  figure  bearing  on  his  body  the  marks  of 
the  Man  of  Sorrows  ;  but  bearing  in  his  eye  and  words  the  aspect 
of  Him  "  who  liveth,  and  was  dead,  and  behold  he  is  alive  for  ever- 
more." Behold,  how  he  stands  in  an  attitude  of  unmingled  tender- 
ness to  sinnei's,  even  the  chief!  Behold,  how  the  beseeching 
hands  are  stretched  out !  Hearken  to  the  soft  accents  of  mercy, 
of  invitation,  of  promise  :  "  /  will  pour  out  my  spirit  unto  you." 
But  remember  that  attitude  of  mercy  is  but  for  a  time:  these  be- 
seeching hands  are  stretched  out  only /or  a  time;  these  accents  of 
gentleness  are  but  for  a  time.  The  day  is  at  hand  when  he  shall 
come  "'  with  clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also 
which  pierced  him;  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because 
of  him."  This  is  Christ's  attitude  of  judgment.  No  more  are  the 
inviting  hands  stretched  out  beseechingly  ;  for  the  rod  of  iron  is 
in  his  right  hand,  and  his  enemies  are  before  him  as  a  potter's 
vessel.  His  right  hand  teacheth  him  terrible  things  ;  his  arrows 
are  sharp  in  the  hearts  of  the  King's  enemies,  whereby  the  people 
fall  under  him.  And  oh  !  how  fearfully  shall  his  accents  of  ten- 
derness be  changed ! 

"  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity ; 
I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh  ; 
When  your  fear  cometh  as  desolation  ; 
And  your  destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind ; 
When  distress  aid  anguish  cometh  upon  you." 

Gh  !  what  a  day  will  it  be,  when   the  tender-hearted  Jesus, 


SERMON   XXVII.  165 

that  wept  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  shall  laugh  at  your  cala- 
mity, and  mock  at  your  terrors !  The  contrast  between  these 
two  representations  is  so  striking,  that  it  cannot  escape  the 
notice  of  any  one.  But  what  I  wish  you  to  observe  is,  that  it  is 
not  only  a  very  striking  change,  but  a  very  sudden  one.  The 
transition  from  kindness  to  indignation  is  here  not  gradual,  like 
the  change  from  dny  into  night.  There  is  no  twilight,  as  it  were  ; 
the  transition  is  sudden  as  it  is  terrible.  May  not  this  be  intended 
to  teach  us  that  God  frequently  ceases  to  strive  with  men,  not 
gradually,  but  suddenly?  not  only  th;U  death  is  frequently  sudden, 
and  that  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  shall  surely  be  sudden,  as 
a  thief  in  the  night,  but  that  the  withdrawing  of  the  beseeching 
Saviour  from  living  men  who  long  resist  his  call,  is  often  sudden 
and  irremediable  ?  Awake,  then,  brethren,  those  of  you  who 
think  it  is  all  one  when  you  repent  and  embrace  the  Saviour, 
provided  it  be  done  before  you  die.  Awake,  those  of  you  who 
say  :  "  A  little  more  sleep,  and  a  little  more  slumber  ;  a  little 
more  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep."  The  sun  of  grace  may  set 
not  like  the  sun  of  nature ;  there  may  be  no  calm  and  tranquil 
twilight,  when  thou  mightest  bethink  thee  of  the  coming  darkness, 
and  flee  to  Him  who  is  the  light  of  the  world.  However  this  may 
be,  there  is  enough  surely  in  the  fact,  that  the  Spirit  withdraws 
from  those  who  resist  him,  whether  suddenly  or  gradually,  to 
move  every  one  of  you  this  day  to  immediate  conversion.  It 
must  be  now,  or  it  may  be  never. 

On  a  winter  evening,  when  the  frost  is  setting  in  with  growing 
intensity,  and  when  the  sun  is  now  far  past  the  meridian,  and 
gradually  sinking  in  the  western  sky,  there  is  a  double  reason  why 
the  ground  grows  every  moment  harder  and  more  impenetrable 
to  the  plough.  On  the  one  hand,  the  frost  of  evening,  with 
ever-increasing  intensity,  is  indurating  the  stiffened  clods.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  genial  rays,  which  alone  can  soften  them,  are 
every  moment  withdrawing  and  losing  their  enlivening  power. 
Oh  !  brethren,  take  heed  that  it  be  not  so  with  you.  As  long  as 
you  are  unconverted,  you  are  under  a  double  process  of  harden- 
ing. The  frosts  of  an  eternal  night  are  settling  down  upon  your 
^ouls  ;  and  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  with  westering  wheel,  is 
hastening  to  set  upon  you  for  evermore.  If,  then,  the  plough  of 
grace  cannot  force  its  way  into  your  ice-bound  heart  to-day,  what 
likelihood  is  there  that  it  will  enter  in  to-morrow  ? — Amen. 

Larbert,  JSTov.  15,  1835. 


166  SERMON   XXVIII. 


SERMON  XXVIII. 


A  SON  HONORETH  HIS  FATHER. 


"  A  son  honoreth  his  father,  and  a  servant  his  master  :  if  then  I  be  a  father,  where 
is  mine  honor  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master,  where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts  unto  you." — Mai.  i.,  6. 

The  first  conviction  that  is  essential  to  the  conversion  of  the  soul, 
is  conviction  of  sin  ;  not  the  general  conviction  that  all  men  are 
sinful,  but  the  personal  conviction  that  I  am  an  undone  sinner ; 
not  the  general  conviction  that  other  men  must  be  forgiven  or 
perish,  but  the  personal  conviction  that  I  must  be  forgiven  or 
perish.  Novi^,  there  is  no  greater  barrier  in  the  vt^ay  of  this  truth 
being  impressed  on  the  soul,  than  the  felt  consciousness  of  pos- 
sessing many  virtues.  We  cannot  be  persuaded  that  the  image 
of  God  has  so  completely  been  effaced  from  our  souls  as  the  Bible 
tells  us,  when  we  feel  within  ourselves,  and  see  exhibited  in  others, 
what  may  almost  be  termed  godlike  virtues.  The  heroes  of 
whom  we  have  road  in  history,  with  their  love  of  country,  and 
contempt  of  death,  their  constancy  in  friendship,  and  fidelity  in 
affection,  seem  to  rise  up  before  us  to  plead  the  cause  of  injured 
humanity.  And  what  is  far  more  baffling,  our  every-day  expe- 
rience of  the  kindness  of  hospitality,  the  flowings  of  unbounded 
generosity,  the  compassion  that  weeps  because  another  weeps; 
and  all  this  among  men  that  care  not  for  Christ  and  his  salvation, 
seems  to  raise  a  barrier  impregnable  against  the  truth,  that  man 
is  conceived  in  sin  and  shapen  in  iniquity.  When  we  enter  one 
cottage  door,  and  see  a  whole  company  of  brothers  and  sisters 
melted  into  tears  at  the  sight  of  a  dying  sister's  agonies;  or  when 
we  enter  another  door,  and  see  the  tenderness  of  a  mother's 
affection  toward  the  sick  infant  in  her  bosom  ;  or  when  we  see,  in 
a  third  family,  the  cheerful  obedience  which  the  children  pay  to 
an  aged  father;  or,  in  a  fourth  family,  the  scrupulous  integrity 
with  which  the  servant  manages  the  affairs  of  an  earthly  master, 
we  are  ready  to  ask,  Is  this  indeed  a  world  of  sin  ?  is  it  possible 
that  the  wrath  of  God  can  be  in  store  for  such  a  world?  It  will 
be  very  generally  granted,  that  there  are  some  men  so  utterly 
worthless  and  incorrigible,  so  far  gone  in  the  ways  of  desperate 
wickedness,  that  nothing  else  is  to  be  expected  for  them,  but  an 
eternity  of  hopeless  misery.  There  is  a  crew  of  abandoned 
profligates,  who  scoff  at  the  very  name  of  God  and  religion. 
There  are  Atheists,  who  openly  deny  his  very  being ;  Infidels, 
who  openly  deny  that  Christ  came  in  the  flesh.  There  are  cold- 
blooded murderers,  and  worse  than  murderers,  who  are  confessed 
by  all  to  be  a  disgrace  to  the  name  of  man.  For  these,  few 
would  dare  to  plead  exemption  from  the  awful  vengeance  that 


SERMON    XXVIII.  167 

awaits  the  ungodly.  So  that  there  is  a  felt  reasonableness  in  the 
dreadful  words  :  "  The  abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremon- 
gers, and  sorcerers-,  and  idolators,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their 
pai't  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone."  But 
that  the  obedient  child,  and  the  faithful  servant,  the  tenderly 
affectionate  mother,  the  hospitable  and  generous  neighbor,  the 
man  of  intelligence  and  good  feeling,  that  all  these  should  ever 
be  bound  up  in  the  same  bundle  of  destruction,  and  consigned  to 
the  same  eternal  flames,  merely  because  they  do  not  believe  in 
Jesus  :  this  is  the  rock  of  offence  on  which  thousands  stumble 
and  fall,  to  their  inevitable  loss. 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  way  more  commonly  used  by  man,  to 
repel  all  the  personal  convictions  of  sin  which  the  Word  of 
God  would  cast  on  iis.  For  do  I  not  feel  within  me  all  the 
tender  affections  of  humanity,  all  the  honesties  and  integrities  of 
our  nature  ?  Do  I  not  feel  pleasure  in  being  honest  and  fair  deal- 
ing, in  being  compassionate,  and  generous,  and  hospitable  ?  How 
plainly,  then,  may  I  say  to  .my  soul:  "  Soul,  take  thine  ease?" 
These- virtues  of  thine  are  a  sure  token  that  thou  art  born  for  a 
blessed  eternity.  Ah  !  my  friends,  is  it  not  a  most  blessed  thing 
that,  in  the  passage  now  before  us,  God  wrests  from  our  hand  the 
very  weapon  wherewith  we  would  defend  ourselves,  and  turns 
it  with  a  shaft  to  pierce  our  worldly  consciences?  And,  oh! 
if  we  had  minds  as  intelligent  as  when  Adam  walked  with  God 
in  Paradise,  nothing  more  would  be  necessary  to  carry  to  our 
hearts  the  overwhelming  conviction  of  sin  than  the  repetition  of 
the  words  :  "  A  son  honoreth  his  father,  and  a  servant  h.'s  master  ; 
if  then  I  be  a  flither,  where  is  mine  honor  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master, 
where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  unto  you."  There  is 
a  power  and  a  pathos  in  this  argument,  which  might  well  break 
down  the  hardest  and  most  unfeeling  mind  ;  it  is  as  if  God  had 
said,  as  he  elsewhere  doth  :  "  Come  and  let  us  reason  together." 
You  say  that  you  have  many  excellent  virtues,  that  you  have 
tender  and  beautiful  affections  ;  you  say  that  filial  and  parental 
love  occupy  a  master-place  in  your  bosom,  that  integrity  and  un- 
sullied honesty  beat  high  in  your  breast.  And  do  I  deny  all  th^s? 
Shall  I  detract  from  the  glory  of  my  own  handiwork,  so  beautiful, 
even  in  ruins  ?  No,  it  is  all  true  ;  the  son  does  honor  his  father, 
the  servant  is  faithful  to  his  master  ;  all  is  beautiful,  when  I 
look  only  to  the  earthly  relationships.  But  that  is  the  very  thing 
which  shows  the  utter  derangement  of  all  the  heavenly  relation- 
ships; for,  "if  I  then  be  a  father,  where  is  mine  honor?  if  I  be 
a  master,  where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  unto  you." 
I  see  that  you  honor  your  earthly  fathers,  and  serve  faithfully 
your  earthly  masters  ;  but  that  is  the  very  thing  which  show's 
me  that  I  am  the  exception.  I  see  that  there  is  not  a  flither  in  the 
whole  universe  that  is  deprived  of  the  love  of  his  children,  but  me 
— there  is  not  a  master  under  heaven  that  is  robbed  of  the  honor 


168  SERMON    XXVIII. 

and  service  of  his  domestics,  as  I  am.  If,  brethren,  you  and  I 
were  sunk  into  actual  brutality,  if  we  had  no  love  for  parents,  no 
honesty  to  masters,  then  God  might  have  had  cause  to  say  of  us, 
that  nothing  better  could  be  expected  from  such  wretches,  than 
that  we  should  forget  our  heavenly  Father  and  Master.  But,  oh  ! 
when  there  are  such  tender  and  beautiful  affections  in  our  bosoms 
towards  our  earthly  relations,  is  not  our  sin  written  as  with  an 
iron  pen,  and  with  lead  in  the  rock  foi'  ever,  that  we  make  God 
the  exception,  that  we  are  godless  in  the  world  ? 

I  would  now,  with  all  affection  and  tenderness,  beseech  every 
one  of  you  to  search  his  own  heart,  and  see  if  these  things  be  not 
so ;  see  if  that  which  you  generally  take  for  the  excuse  of  your 
sins,  be  not  the  very  essence  of  your  sin.     What  would  you  not 
do,  what  would  you  not  suffer,  for  the  sake  of  an  earthly  parent  ? 
and    yet   you   will    not  expend  so  much   as  a  thought,   or   the 
breathing  of  a  desire,  for  your  heavenly  Parent.     God  is  not  in 
all  your  thoughts.     You  will  toil  night  and  day  in  behalf  of  an 
earthly  master ;  yet  you  will  not  do  a  hand's  turn  for  your  hea- 
venly Master.     God  is  the  only  parent  whom  you  dishonor ;  God 
is  the  only  master  whom  you  wrong.     "  If  you  were  blind,  you 
should  have  no  sin  ;  but  now  it  is  plain  you  see,  therefore,  your 
sin  remaineth."     If  you  were  incapable  of  affection  or  fidelity, 
then  you  should  have  no  sin  ;  but  now  it  is  plain  you  are  capable 
of  both,   therefore,  your   sin   remaineth.     Imagine   a   family  of 
brothers  and  sisters  all  bound  together  by  the  ties  of  the  closest 
amity  and  affection.     Oh  !  it  is  a  good  and   pleasant  sight  to  see 
brethren  dwell    together  in   unity.      "  It   is    like   precious   oint- 
ment upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's 
beard,  that  went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments.     It  is  as  the 
dew  of  Hermon,  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion." 
What  will   they  not  do  for  each  other?  what  will  they  not  suffer 
for  each  other?     But,  imagine  again  that  all  this  unity,  which 
is  so  much  like  the  temper  of  heaven,  was  maintained  among 
them,  whilst  all  the  while  they  were  united  in  despising  the  tender 
mother  that  bore  them,  in  turning  away  from,  and   forsaking  the 
grey-haired   father   that   had    brought   up   every   one  of  them. 
Would  not  this  one  feature  in  the  picture  change  all  its  beauty 
and  all  its  interest?     Would  it  not  make  their  unity  more  like  that 
of  devils,  than  that  of  angels  ?     Would  you  not  say,  that  their 
affection  for  one  another  was  the  very  thing  which  made  their 
disaffection  to  their  parents  hateful  and  most  unnatural?     Oh  I 
brethren,  the  picture  is   a  picture  of  us :  "A  son  honoreth  his 
father,  and  a  servant  his  master :  if  then  I  be  a  father,  where  is 
mine  honor  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master,  where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts  unto  you." 

Oh  I  it  is  a  fearful  thing,  when  our  very  virtues,  to  which  we 
flee  for  refuge  against  the  wrath  of  God,  turn  round  most  fiercely 
to  condemn  us.     What  avail  your  honesties,  what  avail  your 


SERMON   XXVIII.  169 

filial  attachments,  what  avail  your  domestic  virtues,  which  the 
world  so  much  admire,  and  praise  you  for,  if,  in  the  slojht  of  God, 
these  are  all  the  while  enhancing  your  ungodliness  ?  Let  no  man 
misunderstand  me,  as  if  1  had  said  that  it  was  a  bad  thing  to  be 
honest,  to  be  faithful,  and  just,  and  affectionate;  to  parents.  Every 
sensible  man  knows  the  value  of  these  eaithly  virtues,  and  how 
much  they  are  invigorated  and  enlarged,  and  begin  anew  life,  as  it 
were,  when  the  worldly  man  becomes  a  believer.  But  this  I  do 
say,  that  if  thou  hast  nothing  more  than  these  earthly  virtues, 
they  will  every  one  of  them  rise  in  the  judgment  only  to  condemn 
thee.  I  say  only  what  the  mighty  Luther  hath  said  before  me, 
that  these  virtues  of  thine,  whereby  thou  thinkest  to  build  thy 
Babel  tower  to  heaven,  are  but  the  splendid  sins  of  humanity ; 
and  that  they  will  only  serve  to  cast  thee  down  into  tenfold 
deeper  condemnation.  God  doth  not  charge  you,  brethren,  with 
dishonesty,  with  disobedience  to  parents.  The  only  charge  which 
he  brings  against  you  here  is,  the  one  long  sin  of  the  natural 
man's  life,  ungodliness.  God  is  not  in  all  your  thoughts.  He 
admits  that  you  have  earthly  virtues  ;  but  these  just  make  blacker 
and  more  indelible  your  sins  against  heaven. 

L  I  infer  from  this  passage,  that  our  worldly  virtues  will  not 
atone  for  sin,  or  make  us  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God. — 
Humanity  is  a  ruin ;  but  it  is  beautiful  even  in  ruins.  And 
just  as  you  may  wander  through  some  magnificent  pile,  over 
which  the  winter  storms  of  whole  centuries  have  passed,  and 
stand  with  admiring  gaze  beside  every  fluted  column,  now  broken 
and  prostrate,  and  luxuriate  with  antiquarian  fnncy  amid  the 
half-defaced  carving  of  Gothic  ages,  as  you  may  do  all  this  with- 
out so  much  as  a  thought  of  the  loss  of  its  chief  architectural 
glory,  the  grand  proportions  of  the  whole  towering  majestically 
heavenward,  with  bastion  and  minaret,  all  now  lying  buried  in 
their  own  rubbish,  so  mny  you  look  upon  man;  you  may  wan- 
der from  one  earthly  affection  and  faculty  to  another,  filled  with 
admiration  of  the  curious  handiwork  of  Him  who  is  indeed  the 
most  cunning  of  artists  ;  you  may  luxuriate  amidst  the  exquisite 
adaptations  of  man  to  man,  so  nice  as  to  keep  all  the  wheels  of 
society  running  smoothly  and  easily  forward ;  you  may  do  all 
this,  as  thousands  have  done  before  you,  without  so  much  as  a 
thought  of  the  loss  of  man's  chiefest  glory,  the  relation  of  man 
to  his  God,  that  while  many  amid  the  rubbish  of  this  world  are 
honest,  and  fair-dealing,  and  affectionate  to  parents,  they-e  is  not 
one  that  seeketh  after  God. 

Let  us  imagine  for  an  instant  that  these  worldly  virtues  could 
take  away  sin ;  and  just  look  to  the  consequences.  Where  wc)uld 
you  find  the  man  altogether  destitute  of  them  ?  where  is  salvation 
to  stop?  If  honesty  and  generosity  are  to  blot  out  one  sin,  why 
not  all  sin  ?     In  this  way  you  can  fix  no  limit  between  the  saved 


170  SERMON   XXVIII. 

and  the  unsaved  ;  and,  therefore,  all  men  may  live  as  they  please, 
for  you  never  can  prove  that  one  man  is  beyond  the  pale  of  sal- 
vation. Again :  if  worldly  virtues  could  blot  out  sin,  Christ  is 
dead  in  vain.  He  came  to  save  his  people  from  their  sins.  An- 
gels ushered  him  into  the  world  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  John 
bade  men  behold  in  him  the  Lamb  of  God  that  takelh  away  the 
sins  of  the  world  ;  and  the  whole  Bible  testifies,  that  "  through 
this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  remission  of  sins."  But  if  the 
every-day  honesties,  and  kindnesses,  and  generosities  of  life,  could 
avail  to  take  away  sin,  what  needed  Christ  to  have  suffered  ?  If 
anything  so  cheap  and  common  as  earthly  virtues  are,  could  avail 
to  the  blotting  out  of  sin,  why  needed  so  inestimably  precious  a 
provision  to  be  made  as  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God?  If,  with  all 
our  honesties,  and  all  our  decencies  and  respectabilities  in  the  world, 
we  do  not  stand  in  need  of  everything,  why  doth  Christ  counsel 
us  to  buy  of  him  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  we  may  be  rich? 
Nothing  that  is  imperfect  can  make  us  perfect  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Hence  the  admirable  direction  of  an  old  divine ;  "  Labor  after 
sanctification  to  the  utmost;  but  do  not  make  a  Clnist  of  it;  if  so 
it  must  come  down,  one  way  or  other.  Christ's  obedience  and- 
sufferings,  not  thy  sanctification,  must  be  thy  justification."  The 
matter  seems  a  plain  one.  God  is  yet  to  judge  the  world  in  right- 
eousness ;  that  is,  by  the  strictest  rule  of  his  holy  law.  If  we 
are  to  be  justified  in  his  sight  on  that  day,  we  must  be  perfect  in 
his  sight.  But  that  we  cannot  be,  by  means  of  our  own  sancti- 
fication, which  is  imperfect.  It  must  be  through  the  imputing  of 
a  perfect  righteousness,  then,  even  the  perfect  obedience  of  Christ, 
that  we  are  to  be  justified  in  that  day.  We  are  complete  only  in 
Christ ;  we  are  perfect  only  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  ah  !  brethren, 
if  our  sanctification  will  not  do  for  a  righteousness  in  that  day, 
much  less  will  our  worldly  virtues  do.  If  your  honesties  and 
worldly  decencies  are  to  be  enough  to  cover  your  nakedness, 
and  make  you  comely  in  the  sight  of  God,  why  needed  Christ  to 
have  fulfilled  all  righteousness,  as  a  surety  in  the  stead  of  sinners? 
Why  does  he  ofl^er  to  make  poor  sinners  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him?  Why  does  he  say  of  his  saved  ones:  "Thou  wast  per- 
fect in  beauty,  through  my  comeliness  which  I  put  upon  thee?" 

II.  I  infer  from  this  passage  that  earthly  virtues  may  accom- 
pany a  man  to  hell. — I  desire  to  speak  with  all  reverence,  and  with 
all  tenderness  upon  so  dreadful  a  subject.  The  man  who  speaks 
of  hell  should  do  it  with  tears  in  his  eyes.  But,  oh  !  brethren,  is  it 
not  plain,  that  if  the  love  of  earthly  parents,  and  honesty  to  earthly 
masters,  be  consistent  with  utter  ungodliness  upon  earth,  they  may 
also  be  consistent  with  the  ungodliness  of  hell?  Which  of  you 
does  not  remember  the  story  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  ? 
When  the  rich  man  lifted  up  his  eyes  in  hell,  being  in  torments, 
and  when  he  prayed  Abraham  to  send  Lazarus  to  dip  his  finger 


SERMON   XXVIII.  171 

in  water,  and  cool  his  tongue,  what  was  the  one  other  desire 
which  in  that  fearful  hour  racked  the  bosom  and  prompted  the 
prayer  of  the  wretched  man?  was  it  not  love  for  his  brethren? 
"I  pray  thee,  therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldst  send  him  to  my 
father's  house  ;  for  I  have  five  bi'ethren ;  that  he  may  testify  unto 
them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  torment." — Luke  xvi., 
27.  Ah  !  my  brethren,  does  not  this  one  passage  remove  a  dread- 
ful curtain  from  the  unseen  world  of  woe?  does  it  not  reveal  to 
you  some  eternal  pains  which  you  never  dreamed  of.  There  will 
be  brotherly  affection  in  hell.  These  parching  flames  cannot  burn 
out  that  element  of  our  being.  But,  oh  !  it  will  give  no  ease,  but 
rather  pain.  The  love  of  children  will  be  there ;  but,  oh  !  what 
agonies  shall  it  not  cause,  when  the  tender  mother  meets  the  chil- 
dren on  whose  souls  she  had  no  pity,  the  children  whom  she  never 
brought  to  the  Saviour,  the  children  unprayed  for,  untaught  to 
pray  for  themselves!  Who  shall  describe  the  meeting  of  the 
loving  wife  and  the  affectionate  husband  in  an  eternal  hell?  those 
that  never  prayed  with  one  another,  and  for  one  another ;  those 
that  mutually  stifled  each  other's  convictions ;  those  that  fostered 
and  encouraged  one  another  in  their  sins?  Ah!  my  friends,  if 
these,  the  tenderest  and  kindest  affections  of  our  nature,  shall  be 
such  fierce  instruments  of  torture,  what  shall  our  evil  affections  be? 
I  would  now  speak  a  word  to  those  of  you  who  are  counting 
upon  being  saved,  because  you  are  honest  and  affectionate  to  pa- 
rents. Oh !  that  you  would  be  convinced  this  day  by  Scripture 
and  common  sense,  that  these,  if  you  be  out  of  Christ,  and  there- 
fore not  at  peace  with  God,  do  but  aggravate  your  ungodliness, 
and  will  add  torment  inexpressible  to  your  hell.  If,  then,  our 
very  virtues  condemn  us,  what  shall  our  sins  do  ?  If  the  ungodly 
shall  meet  with  so  fearful  a  doom,  where  shall  the  open  sinner 
appear  ?  But  there  is  a  fountain  opened  up  in  Zion,  to  which  both 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  may  go ;  and  if  only  you  will  be  per- 
suaded to  believe  that  you  are  neither  more  nor  less  than  one  of 
these  lost  and  undone  creatures,  I  know  well  how  swiftly  you 
will  run  to  plunge  yourself  into  these  atoning  waters.  But  if  you 
will  still  keep  harping  upon  the  theme  of  your  many  excellent 
qualities,  your  honesty,  your  uprightness,  your  filial  and  parental 
affection,  your  exactness  in  equity,  your  kindness  in  charity,  and 
will  not  be  convinced  by  the  very  words  of  God,  that  though  the 
son  honor  his  father,  and  the  servant  his  master,  these  do  but  add 
a  deeper  and  more  diabolical  dye  to  your  forgetfulness  and  con- 
tempt of  God.  If  you  still  do  this,  then  we  can  only  turn  away 
from  you  with  sadness,  and  say :  "  The  pubhcans  and  harlots 
enter  into  heaven  before  you." 

Larbert,  JSTov.  22, 1835. 


172  SERMON    XXIX. 


SERMON  XXIX. 

THE    DIFFICULTY    AND    DESIRABLENESS    OF    CONVERSION. 

"  I  waited  patiently  for  the  Lord  ;  and  he  inclined  unto  me,  and  heard  my  cry. 
He  brought  me  up  also  out  of  an  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  my 
feet  upon  a  rock,  and  established  my  goings.  And  he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my 
mouth,  even  praise  unto  our  God :  many  shall  see  it,  and  fear,  and  shall  trust  in 
the  Lord."— Ps.  xL,  1-3. 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  true  and  primary  application 
of  this  psalm  is  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  for  though  the  verses 
we  have  read  might  very  well  be  applicable  to  David,  or  any  other 
converted  man,  looking  back  on  what  God  had  done  for  his  soul, 
yet  the  latter  part  of  the  psa!m  cannot,  with  propriety,  be  the 
language  of  any  but  the  Saviour ;  and,  accordingly,  the  6th,  7th, 
and  8th  verses  are  directly  applied  to  Christ  by  the  apostle  in  the 
10th  chapter  of  Hebrews  :  "  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  wouldest 
not ;  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me  :  in  burnt-oifcrings  and 
sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had  no  pleasure.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I 
come  (in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will, 
O  God,"  The  whole  psalm,  therefore,  is  to  be  regarded  as  a 
prayerful  meditation  of  Messiah  when  under  the  hiding  of  his 
Father's  countenance ;  for,  how  truly  might  he  who  knew  no  sin, 
but  was  made  sin  for  us,  he  on  whom  it  pleased  the  Father  to  lay 
the  iniquities  of  us  all,  how  truly  might  he  say,  in  the  language  of 
verse  12,  "Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me  about:  mine 
iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able  to  look 
up ;  they  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  mine  head ;  therefore  my 
heart  faileth  me." 

According  to  this  view,  verses  1-3  are  to  be  regarded  as  a  re- 
calling a  former  deliverance  from  some  similar  visitation  of  dark- 
ness, in  order  to  comfort  himself  under  present  discouragement. 
And  who  can  doubt  that  he  who  was  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief,  experienced  many  more  seasons  of  darkness 
and  of  heaven-sent  relief  than  that  which  is  recorded  in  the  gar- 
den of  Gethsemane  1  His  so  frequently  retiring  to  pray  alone, 
seems  to  prove  this.  But  as  it  is  quite  manifest  that  his  description 
of  his  iniquities  laying  hold  upon  him,  is  expressed  in  words  most 
suitable  to  any  burdened  but  awakened  sinner,  so  the  verses  of 
my  text  are  every  way  suitable  to  any  converted  soul  looking 
back  on  the  deliverance  which  God  hath  wrought  out  for  him. 
"Waiting,  I  waited  for  Jehovah"  (as  verse  1  may  be  most  literal- 
ly rendered),  expresses  all  the  intense  anxiety  of  a  mind  aroused 
to  know  the  danger  he  is  in,  and  the  quarter  whence  his  aid  must 
come.  "  And  he  inclined  unto  me,"  expresses  the  bodily  motion 
of  one  who  is  desirous  to  hear,  bending  forward  attentively.  "  And 
he  heard  my  cry." 


SERMON    XXIX.  173 

"  He  brought  me  up  also  out  of  an  horrible  pit, 

Out  of  the  miry  clay, 
And  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock ; 

He  established  my  goings. 
And  he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth, 

Even  praise  unto  our  God  : 
Many  shall  see  it,  and  fear, 

And  shall  trust  in  the  Lord." 

He  expresses  the  state  of  an  unconverted  man  under  the  striking 
imagery  of  one  who  is  in  an  horrible  pit,  and  sinking  in  miry 
clay  ;  while  the  change  at  conversion  is  compared  to  setting  his 
feet  upon  a  rock,  and  establishing  his  goings,  and  putting  a  new 
song  in  his  mouth.  Regarding,  then,  my  text  as  a  true  and  faith- 
ful picture  of  that  most  blessed  change  in  state  and  character 
which,  in  Bible  language,  is  called  conversion,  I  proceed  to 
draw  from  these  words  two  simple  but  most  important  conclu- 
sions : — 

I.  The  difficulty  of  conversion. — So  difficult  and  superhuman  is 
the  work  of  turning  a  soul  from  sin  and  Satan  unto  God,  that  God 
only  can  do  it ;  and,  accordingly,  in  our  text,  every  part  of  the 
process  is  attributed  solely  to  him.  "  He  brought  me  up  out  of 
an  horrible  pit,  he  took  me  from  the  miry  clay,  he  set  my  feet 
upon  a  rock,  he  established  my  goings,  and  he  put  a  new  song  in 
my  mouth."  God,  and  God  alone,  then,  is  the  author  of  conver- 
sion. He  who  created  man  at  first,  alone  can  create  him  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works.  And  the  reason  of  this  we  shall 
see  clearly  by  going  over  the  parts  of  the  work  here  described. 
The  first  deliverance  is  imaged  forth  to  us  in  the  words  :  "  He 
brought  me  up  out  of  an  horrible  pit ;"  and  the  counterpart  or  cor- 
responding blessing  to  that  is,  "  He  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock." 
There  can  hardly  be  imagined  a  more  hopeless  situation  than  that 
of  being  placed,  like  Joseph,  in  a  pit,  and  especially  an  horrible 
pit,  or  a  pit  of  destruction,  as  the  Psalmist  calls  it.  Hemmed  in 
on  every  side  by  damp  and  gloomy  walls,  with  scarce  an  outlet 
into  the  open  air,  in  vain  you  struggle  to  clamber  up  to  the  light 
and  fresh  atmosphere  of  the  open  day  ;  you  are  a  prisoner  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  the  tenant  of  a  pit  of  horrors.  Such  is  your 
state,  if  you  be  unconverted ;  you  are  lying  in  a  pit  of  destruc- 
tion ;  you  are  dead  while  you  live — buried  alive,  as  it  were ; 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  while  yet  you  walk  in  them.  You 
cannot  possibly  ascend  to  the  light  of  day,  and  the  fresh  atmo- 
sphere above  you  ;  for  the  pit  in  which  you  are,  is  indeed  your 
prison-house;  and  except  you  be  drawn  up  from  it  by  the  cords 
of  grace,  it  will  usher  you  into  that  yawning  pit  which  the  Bible 
says  is  bottomless.  Such  is  your  state,  if  you  be  unconverted. 
You  are  under  the  curse  ;  for  "  cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them ;"  and 
you  have  never  continued  in  any  of  these  things,  doing  them  from 


174  SERMON    XXIX. 

the  heart,  as  unto  the  Lord,  which  only  can  be  called  doing  them. 
You  have  never  savingly  believed  on  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  there- 
fore you  are  "  condemned  already'^ — you  have  never  been  lifted 
out  of  the  pit  of  condemnation.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  everlasting  life ;  hut  he  that  believeth  not  the  So7i  shall  not  see 
life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  ;"  that  is,  it  is  never 
lifted  off  him.  The  pit  of  wrath  and  destruction,  in  which  you  are 
by  nature,  is  never  exchanged  by  you  until  you  leave  it  for  the 
pit  of  wrath  eternal.  Since  this  horrible  pit,  then,  represents  the 
state  of  wrath  and  condemnation  in  which  we  are  by  nature,  how 
impossible  is  it  that  we  can  extricate  ourselves  from  it  !  To 
escape  from  the  prison-house  of  earthly  kings  is  a  hard  and  daring 
enterprise  ;  but  who  shall  break  loose  from  the  prison-house  of  the 
eternal  God  ?  Who  shall  clamber  up  from  the  pit  of  condemna- 
tion in  which  he  confines  the  soul  ?  or  who  can  work  out  a  pardon 
for  past  offences ?  Who  can  blot  out  the  sin  of  his  past  life? 
Loolv  back  upon  your  lives,  brethren,  spent  in  forgetfulness  of  God, 
in  desires  and  deeds  contrary  to  God;  and  then  remember  he  is 
infinitely  just,  he  cannot  lie,  he  cannot  repent,  and  say  if  you 
think  it  an  easy  thing,  or  a  possible  thing,  to  save  yourselves  from 
the  fearful  pit  in  which  you  are  now  reserved  for  his  wrath  ? 

But  if  you  cannot  save  yourself  from  the  pit,  and  set  your  feet 
upon  a  rock,  much  less  can  you  extricate  yourself  from  the  miry 
clay,  and  establish  your  own  goings.  The  pit  of  destruction  re- 
presents the  wrath  you  are  in  by  nature  ;  the  miry  clay  represents 
the  corruption  you  are  in  by  nature.  To  be  standing  in  a  dry  pit, 
as  Joseph  was,  is  bad  enough ;  but,  ah  !  how  hopeless  and  wretch- 
ed, when  you  are  standing  in  miry  clay  !  To  be  under  condem- 
nation for  past  sins,  one  would  think  to  be  misery  sufficient  ;  but 
your  case  is  far  more  desperate,  for  you  are  also  sinking  daily 
under  the  power  of  present  corruptions.  Every  struggle  which 
you  make  to  get  up  from  your  wretched  condition,  only  makes 
you  sink  deeper  in  the  miry  clay ;  and  every  hour  you  remain 
where  you  are,  you  are  sinking  the  deeper  ;  your  ever  getting  out 
becomes  more  hopeless.  How  truly  does  the  growth  of  sinful 
habits  in  you  resemble  the  sinking  of  your  feet  in  miry  clay  ! 
Which  of  your  habits  does  not  grow  inveterate  by  exercise  ? 
How  does  the  habit  of  swearing  grow  upon  a  man  until  he  is 
absolutely  its  slave  ?  and  so  with  those  more  refiaed  sins  whose 
seat  is  in  the  heart.  Every  day  gives  them  new  power  over  the 
soul — every  new  indulgence  binds  your  feet  more  indissolubly 
than  ever  in  the  evil  way  ;  and  though  you  may,  nay,  in  the 
course  of  nature  you  must,  change  your  lusts,  your  passions  and 
desires,  yet  every  change  is  but  like  extricating  one  foot  from  the 
miry  clay,  only  to  set  it  down  again,  in  another  spot  to  sink  again. 
Ah]  the  undoneness  of  an  unconverted  heart ;  what  imagination  is 
bold  enough  to  paint  all  its  horrors  ?  Look  in  upon  your  own 
hearts,  ye  who  are  unchanged  in  heart  and  life ;  and,  oh  !  if  the 


SERMON   XXIX.  175 

Spirit  of  grace  may  but  use  the  passage  we  are  speaking  of  to 
convince  you  this  day  of  your  sin,  you  shall  see  how  truly  there 
is  within  you  a  dark  chamber  of  imagery,  a  depth  of  spiritual 
wretchedness,  and  inability,  either  to  forgive  your  own  self,  or 
to  make  your  heart  new — either  to  set  your  feet  upon  a  rock, 
or  to  establish  your  goings  ;  which  can  be  described  only  by 
such  ideas  as  those  of  an  horrible  pit,  and  sinking  in  miry  clay. 

A  third  step  in  conversion  you  cannot  take  for  yourself;  and 
that  is,  the  putting  a  new  song  in  your  mouth.  A  song  is  the 
sign  of  gladness  and  light-heartedness,  and  hence  James  saith : 
"  Is  any  merry  1  let  him  sing  psalms."  And  the  spoilers  of  Jeru- 
salem,'when  they  would  put  mockery  on  the  sorrows  of  the 
exiled  Israelites,  required  of  them  mi7'th,  saying  :  "  Sing  us  one 
of  the  Songs  of  Zion."  But  to  sing  a  new  song,  even  praise  to 
our  God,  is  a  privilege  of  the  believer  alone.  To  be  merry  and 
glad  in  heart,  whilst  a  holy  God  is  before  the  thoughts,  that  is  a 
privilege  only  of  him  whose  feet  are  settled  on  the  Rock,  Christ. 
It  is  true  the  unconverted  world  have  a  mirth  of  their  own  ;  and 
they,  too,  can  sing  the  song  of  gladness.  But  here  lies  the  differ- 
ence :  They  can  be  glad  and  merry  only  when  God  is  not  in  all 
their  thoughts,  only  when  a  veil  of  oblivion  is  cast  over  the 
realities  of  death  and  judgment.  Keep  awny  all  serious  thought 
of  these  things,  and  then  they  can  revel,  like  Belshazzar  and  his 
thousand  lords,  when  they  drank  wine,  and  praised  the  gods  of 
gold  and  of  silver.  But  unveil  to  their  eyes  the  grand  realities  of 
a  holy  and  omnipresent  God,  of  death  at  the  door,  and  after  death 
the  judgment,  and  then  is  their  countenance  changed,  (as  was 
Belshazzar's  at  the  appearance  of  the  mysterious  hand)  ;  their 
thoughts  trouble  them,  so  that  the  joints  of  their  loins  are  loosed, 
and  their  knees  smite  one  against  another. 

But  to  the  believer  a  holy  God  is  the  very  subject  of  his 
song,  praise  to  our  God  ;  and  the  view  of  death  and  judgment  do 
not  break  in  upon  this  divine  melody.  On  his  dying  bed  he  may 
begin  the  song  which  shall  be  finished  only  when  he  wakes  up 
in  glory.  Now,  what  unconverted  man  has  the  power  to  put 
this  supernatural  song  in  his  mouth,  this  strange  joy  in  his  heart? 
Gladness  cannot  be  forced,  and  least  of  all  this,  the  Christian's 
gladness.  If  thou  be  unforgiven,  unjustified,  still  at  enmity  with 
God,  how  canst  thou  raise  one  note  of  praise  to  him  ?  In  the 
14th  chapter  of  Revelation,  where  the  redeemed  sing,  as  it  were, 
a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts  and  the 
elders,  it  is  added :  "  And  no  man  could  learn  that  song,  but  the 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  which  were  redeemed  from 
the  earth."  None  but  new  creatures  can  learn  this  new  song. 
Angels  cannot  join  in  it ;  for  it  is  the  hymn  of  the  redeemed,  of 
those  who  were  sinners,  and  have  been  made  new.  And,  oh  !  if 
angels  cannot,  how  much  can  unconverted,  unredeemed  sinners 
join  in  that  eternal  harmony.     In  every  way,  then,  how  unspeak- 


176 


SERMON    XXIX. 


ably  hard  a  work  is  conversion  !     How  impossible  with  man 
But  with  God    all   things  are   possible.     He  hath   provided   the 
Rock,  Christ  ;  and  his  ear  is  not  heavy  that  it  should  not  hear,  if 
we  but  cry  ;  his  arm  is  not  shortened  that  it  cannot  save,  if  only 
we  will  inquire  of  him  for  this.     But, 

11.  From  this  picture  of  a  true  conversion  I  deduce,  not  only 
the  difficulty,  but  also  the  desirableness  of  conversion. 

If  you  can  imagine  the  delight  of  being  lifted  out  of  the  horrible 
pit,  where  wrath  only  awaited  us,  and  having  our  feet  set  upon 
the  Rock,  where  our  foundation  is  firm  and  solid  as  the  everlast- 
ing hills,  and  we  are  raised  high  above  the  reach  of  enemies,  for 
our  defence  is  the  munition  of  rocks,  then,  my  friends,  you  have 
some  notion  of  what  it  is  to  be  taken  out  of  wrath  into  peace, 
to  be  translated  from  being  under  the  curse  to  the  privilege  of 
standing  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  standing  on  which  you 
are  justified,  so  that  neither  man,  nor  angel,  nor  devil,  can  bring 
accusation  against  you. 

And,  again,  if  you  can  imagine  the  delight  of  being  carried  out 
of  the  miry  clay,  where  your  feet  were  continually  sinking  deeper 
and  deeper  every  hour,  and  of  having  your  goings  established, 
a  straight  path  set  before  you,  and  solid  ground  beneath  you,  then 
you  have  some  notion  of  what  it  is  to  be  taken  out  of  your  worldly 
lusts,  and  desires,  and  cares,  and  thoughts,  and  anxieties,  and  habits 
of  sin,  in  which  every  new  day  found  you  sinking  deeper  and  deeper, 
and  always  with  less  hope  of  recovery  ;  and  to  be  enabled  to  love 
God  and  the  things  of  God,  "to  set  your  affection  on  things  above," 
"  to  bring  every  thought  into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ." 
And  still  further,  if  you  can  imagine  the  delight  of  exchanging 
the  groan  of  the  prisoner  bound  in  affliction  and  iron,  for  the  song 
of  the  captive  who  has  been  set  free,  the  emancipated  slave,  then 
you  have  some  notion  of  what  it  is  to  exchange  the  sullenness  and 
cheerlessncss  of  an  unrenewed  spirit  for  the  joy  and  light-hearted- 
ness,  and  the  new  song  of  praise  sung  only  by  the  redeemed. 

But  when  you  have  imagined  all  these  things,  you  will  have  a 
notion  merely,  and  nothing  more,  of  the  desirableness  of  conver- 
sion. The  riches  of  Christ  are  unsearchable.  I  might  ransack 
all  nature  for  images.  T  might  bring  all  conditions  of  misery  and 
sudden  peace  and  happiness  into  contrast ;  yet  would  I  fail  to  give 
you  a  just  idea  of  the  blessings  received  in  conversion  ;  for,  indeed, 
"  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it  entered  into  the 
heart  to  conceive,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  (in  this 
world,  aye,  in  the  hour  of  believing)  for  all  them  that  love  him." 
But  leaving  images  borrowed  from  nature,  which  may  only  con- 
fuse, let  me  simply  lay  before  you  the  realities  which  these  images 
signify.  The  first  thing  to  be  had  in  conversion  is  peace  with 
God:  "  Justified  by  faith  we  have  peace  with  God."  This  is  the 
immediate  effect  of  standing  on  the  Rock,  Christ.     Sin-laden  man    ■ 


SERMON    XXIX.  177 

dost  thou  see  no  desirableness  in  peace  with  an  offended,  forgotten, 
despised  God?  Art  thou  so  enamored  of  the  horrible  pit  of  en- 
mity and  condemnation,  that  thou  hast  no  desire  to  be  out  of  it  ? 
Then,  indeed,  it  is  in  vain  to  tell  you  of  a  Saviour  ;  you  see  no 
beauty  in  Christ.  The  second  thing  to  be  had  in  conversion  is  a 
holy  life :  "  To  as  many  as  receive  Christ,  he  giveth  power  to 
become  sons  of  God."  Depraved  man,  whose  heart  is  wrinkled 
wit!i  habitual  sins,  dost  thou  see  no  desirableness  in  a  holy  life? 
I  do  not  ask  thee  if  it  would  be  pleasant  to  thee  this  moment  to 
restrain  and  cross  all  thine  appetites,  and  desires,  and  indomiiable 
lusts ;  I  know  it  would  appear  to  thee  intolerable ;  but  I  do  ask 
thee  if  thou  seest  no  desirableness  in  having  these  very  appetites 
and  desires  changed  or  taken  away  in  their  power,  so  that  strict- 
ness and  holiness  of  life  would  no  longer  appear  irksome,  but 
pleasantness  and  peace.  Art  thou  so  delighted,  not  with  the  ob- 
jects which  gratify  thy  passions,  but  with  these  very  passions 
themselves,  that  thou  hast  no  wish  to  be  made  new  ?  Then, 
indeed,  it  is  needless  to  tell  thee  of  the  Sanctifier. 

The  third  good  thing  to  be  had  in  conversion  is  a  joyful  and 
thankful  heart :  "  We  joy  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
This  is  the  song  of  the  redeemed.  The  mirth  of  heaven  is  thank- 
fulness and  praise.  The  mirth  of  heaven  upon  earth — that  is,  of 
the  converted  mind — is  the  same,  even  praise  to  our  God.  If, 
then,  cheerfulness  and  thankfulness  of  m'nd,  which  will  endure 
even  amid  all  the  gloominess  of  the  death-bed,  and  the  dark  val- 
ley, and  the  awful  insignia  of  judgment ;  if  these  be  desirable 
gifts  of  mind,  these  form  parts  of  the  desirableness  of  conver- 
sion. 

But  to  many  of  you  I  know  it  is  in  vain  that  I  talk  of  the  desira- 
bleness of  conversion  ;  for  you  do  not  yet  feel  the  misery  of  being 
t/wconverted — the  wretchedness  of  being  a  child  of  wrath,  and  a 
slave  of  corruptions.  When  we  tell  you  that  the  unjustified  are 
in  an  horrible  pit,  that  the  unsanctified  are  sinking  in  miry  clay, 
you  tell  us  that  you  never  felt  any  horror  about  your  situation. 
Nay,  you  have  many  pleasures,  and  you  are  comfortable  and  at 
ease.  Ah!  most  wretched  of  all  unconverted  men,  you  are  in 
the  horrible  pit;  yet  you  are  insensible  to  its  horrors.  You  are 
in  the  miry  clay,  sinking  every  step  you  take  ;  yet  you  feel  no 
alarm.  You  know  that  you  never  savingly  believed  in  Christ; 
yet  you  have  no  horror  when  the  Bible  tells  you  you  are  "  con- 
demned already."  You  know  that  your  heart  has  never  been 
made  new — horn  again ;  and  yet  you  do  not  tremble  when  the 
Bible  tells  you  that  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord" 
You  remind  me  of  nothing  so  much  as  of  a  man  travelling  in  a 
snow  storm,  wandering  far  from  home  or  shelter,  and  every  step 
he  takes  his  feet  sink  the  deeper  in  the  drifted  snow  ;  but  a  strange 
insensibility  creeps  over  his  mind.  Death  itself  has  lost  its  hor- 
rors. As  his  danger  increases,  his  fears  diminish.  A  deep  slum- 
12 


178  SERMON    XXIX. 

ber  is  quickly  descending  on  every  faculty,  till  he  sinks  down  quietly 
to  sleep,  but  never  to  rise  again. 

In  like  manner,  your  insensibility,  instead  of  being  a  sign  that 
there  is  no  danger,  increases  the  danger  and  horror  of  your  situa- 
tion a  thousand  fold.  As  the  Bible  is  true,  the  state  of  every  un- 
converted man  is  so  awful,  that  could  you  see  it  as  God  sees  it,  the 
words,  "  an  ho'rible  pit  andmiry  clay"  would  seem  too  feeble  to  ex- 
press it.  "  The  sorrows  of  death  and  the  pains  of  hell"  might, 
perhaps,  come  nearer  your  view  of  it.  Ah  !  then,  strive  hard  to 
know  the  misery  of  being  unconverted.  Be  determined  to  know 
the  worst  of  yourself;  for  thus  only  will  you  see  the  desirableness 
of  conversion,  the  excellency  of  Christ. 

And  now,  then,  laying  together  the  two  conclusions  which  I 
have  drawn  from  our  text — the  difficulty  of  conversion,  so  great 
that  God  himself  must  be  the  author;  and  the  desirableness  of 
conversion,  so  great  that  peace,  and  holiness,  and  joy,  all  depend 
upon  it — suffer  the  word  of  exhortation,  to  seek  it  in  the  only  way 
in  which  the  Psalmist  found  it:  "  Waiting,  I  waited  for  Jehovah," 
that  is,  /  waited  anxiously,  "  and  he  inclined  unto  me,  and  heard 
my  cry."  He  is  more  ready  to  hear,  than  thou  to  ask.  The  Rock 
is  already  laid.  Christ  hath  died,  and  thou  art  this  day  besought 
to  stand  upon  his  righteousness ;  and  being  in  Christ,  you  shall 
every  day  become  more  a  new  creature ;  and  being  a  new 
creature,  you  shall  sing  a  new  song  of  praise  to  Him  who  hath 
loved  us. 

One  word  to  those  of  you  who  can  look  back  upon  an  experi- 
ence like  that  described  in  my  text ;  who  can  say  that  God  hath 
brought  you  out  of  an  horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay,  and  set  your 
feet  upon  a  rock,  and  established  your  goings,  and  put  a  new  song 
in  your  mouth.  Take  you  heed  that  the  following  words  be  also 
realized  :  "  Many  shall  see  it  and  fear,  and  shall  trust  in  the  Lord." 
How  many  on  every  hand  of  you  are  yet  unconverted,  both  in 
the  pit  and  in  the  clay  !  Let  them  see,  then,  how  great  things  God 
hath  done  for  your  soul,  that  they  may  fear  lest  they  die  uncon- 
verted ;  lest  this  glorious  change  never  come  to  them  ;  lest  they 
die  old  creatures,  tenants  of  the  horrible  pit,  to  remove  only  to 
the  pit  eternal ;  lest  they  be  altogether  swallowed  up  in  the  miry 
clay  ;  and  thus,  moved  by  fear,  they  may  be  persuaded  to  trust 
in  God,  as  you  have  done — to  rest  on  the  Rock,  Christ,  for  right- 
eousness. 

"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they,  seeing  your 
good  works,  may  glorify  your  father  which  is  in  heaven." — Amen. 
Dunipace,  Aug.  2,  1835. 


SERMON    XXX.  179 


SERMON  XXX. 

THE  LOVE  OF  CHRIST. 

"  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead." — 2  Cor.  v.,  14. 

Op  all  the  features  of  St.  Paul's  character,  untiring  activity  was 
the  most  striking.  From  his  early  history,  which  tells  us  of  his 
personal  exertions  in  wasting  the  infant  Church,  when  he  was  a 
blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and  injurious,  it  is  quite  obvious 
that  this  was  the  prominent  characteristic  of  his  natural  mind. 
But  when  it  pleased  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  show  forth  in  him 
all  long-suffering,  and  to  make  him  a  pattern  to  them  which  should 
afterwards  believe  on  Him,  it  is  beautiful  and  most  instructive  to 
see  how  the  natural  features  of  this  daringly  bad  man  became  not 
only  sanctified,  but  invigorated  and  enlarged  ;  so  true  it  is  that 
they  that  are  in  Christ  are  a  new  creation  :  "  Old  things  pass  away, 
and  all  things  become  new."  "  Troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not 
distressed  ;  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair  ;  persecuted,  but  not  for- 
saken ;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed  ;"  this  was  a  faithful  picture 
of  the  life  of  the  converted  Paul.  Knowing  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  fearful  situation  of  all  who  were  yet  in  their  sins, 
he  made  it  the  business  of  his  life  to  persuade  men ;  striving  if,  by 
any  means,  he  might  commend  the  truth  to  their  consciences. 
"  For  (saith  he)  whether  we  be  beside  ourselves,  it  is  to  God  ;  or 
whether  we  be  sober,  it  is  for  your  cause." — Verse  13.  Whether 
the  world  think  us  wise  or  mad,  the  cause  of  God  and  of  human 
souls  is  the  cause  in  which  we  have  embarked  all  the  energies  of 
our  being.  Who,  then,  is  not  ready  to  inquire  into  the  secret 
spring  of  all  these  supernatural  labors  ?  Who  would  not  desire 
to  have  heard  from  the  lips  of  Paul  the  mighty  principle  that  im- 
pelled him  through  so  many  toils  and  dangers  ?  What  magic  spell 
has  taken  possession  of  this  mighty  mind,  or  what  unseen  planet- 
ary influence,  with  unceasing  power,  draws  him  on  through  all  dis- 
couragements, indifferent  alike  to  the  world's  dread  laugh,  and  the 
fear  of  man,  which  bringeth  a  snare ;  careless  alike  of  the  sneer 
of  the  sceptical  Athenian,  of  the  frown  of  the  luxurious  Corinthian, 
and  the  rage  of  the  narrow-minded  Jew  ?  What  saith  the  apostle 
himself?  for  we  have  his  own  explanation  of  the  mystery  in  the 
words  before  us  :  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us." 

That  Christ's  love  to  man  is  here  intended,  and  not  our  love  to 
the  Saviour,  is  quite  obvious,  from  the  explanation  which  follows, 
where  his  dying  for  all  is  pointed  to  as  the  instance  of  his  love. 
It  was  the  view  of  that  strange  compassion  of  the  Saviour,  mov- 
ing him  to  die  for  his  enemies,  to  bear  double  for  all  our  sins,  to 
taste  death  for  every  man  ;  it  was  this  view  which  gave  him  the 


180  SERMON    XXX. 

impulse  in  every  labor,  which  made  all  suffering  light  to  him,  and 
every  commandment  not  grievous.  He  ran  with  patience  the 
race  that  was  set  before  him.  Why  ?  Because,  looking  unto 
Jesus,  he  lived  a  man  crucified  unto  the  world,  and  the  world  cru- 
cified unto  him.  By  what  means  ?  By  looking  to  the  cross  of 
Chi'ist.  As  the  natural  sun  in  the  heavens  exercises  a  mighty  and 
unceasing  attractive  energy  on  the  planets  which  circle  round  him, 
so  did  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  which  had  indeed  arisen  on  P;iul 
with  a  brightness  above  that  of  noon-day,  exercise  on  his  mind  a 
continual  and  an  almighty  energy,  constraining  him  to  live  hence- 
forth no  more  unto  himself,  but  to  him  that  died  for  him  and  rose 
again.  And  observe,  that  it  was  no  temporary,  fitful  energy,which 
it  exerted  over  his  heart  and  life,  but  an  abiding  and  a  continued 
attraction  ;  for  he  doth  not  say  that  the  love  of  Christ  did  once  con- 
strain him  ;  or  that  it  shall  yet  constrain  him  ;  or  that  in  times  of 
excitement,  in  seasons  of  prayer,  or  peculiar  devotion,  the  love  of 
Christ  icas  icont  to  constrain  him  ;  but  he  said  simply,  that  the  love 
of  Christ  consti~aineth  him.  It  is  the  ever-present,  ever-abiding, 
ever-moving  power,  which  forms  the  main- spring  of  all  his  work- 
ing ;  so  that  take  that  away,  and  his  energies  are  gone,  and  Paul 
is  become  weak  as  other  men. 

Is  there  no  one  before  me  whose  heart  is  longing  to  possess  just 
such  a  master-principle  1  Is  there  no  one  of  you,  brethren,  who 
has  arrived  at  that  most  interesting  of  all  the  stages  of  conversion 
in  which  you  are  panting  after  a  power  to  make  you  new '(  You 
have  entered  in  at  the  straight  gate  of  believing.  You  have  seen 
that  there  is  no  peace  to  the  unjustified  ;  and  therefore  you  have 
put  on  Christ  for  your  righteousness  ;  and  already  do  you  feel 
something  of  the  joy  and  peace  of  believing.  You  can  look  back 
on  your  past  life,  spent  without  God  in  the  world,  and  without 
Christ  in  the  world,  and  without  the  Spirit  in  the  world  ;  you  can 
see  yourself  a  condemned  outcast,  and  you  say :  "  Though  1  should 
wash  my  hands  in  snow  water,  yet  mine  own  clothes  would  abhor 
me."  You  can  do  all  this,  with  shame  and  self-reproach,  it  is  true, 
but  yet  without  dismay,  and  without  despair  ;  for  your  eye  has 
been  lifted  believingly  on  him  who  was  made  sin  for  us,  and  you 
are  persuaded  that,  as  it  pleased  God  to  count  all  your  iniquities 
to  the  Saviour,  so  he  is  willing,  and  hath  always  been  willing,  to 
count  all  the  Saviour's  righteousness  to  you.  Without  despair,  did 
I  say?  nay,  with  joy  and  singing;  for  if,  indeed,  thou  believest 
with  all  thine  heart,  then  thou  art  come  to  the  blessedness  of  the 
man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works ; 
which  David  describes,  saying :  "Blessed  are  they  whose  iniqui- 
ties are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man 
to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  sin."  This  is  the  peace  of  the 
justified  man.  But  is  this  peace  a  state  of  perfect  blessedness  ? 
Is  there  nothing  left  to  be  desired  ?  I  appeal  to  those  of  you,  who 
know  what  it  is  to  be  just  by  believing.     What  is  it  that  still 


SERMON    XXX.  181 

clouds  the  brow,  that  represses  the  exulting  of  tne  spirit?  Why- 
might  we  not  always  join  in  the  song  of  thanksgiving;  "Bless 
the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  Ibrget  not  all  his  benefits  :  who  torgiveth 
all  ihlne  iniquities!"  It" we  have  received  double  for  all  ouv  sins, 
why  should  it  ever  be  needful  for  us  to  argue  as  doth  the  Psalmist : 
"  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul :  and  why  art  thou  disquiet- 
ed within  me?"  Ah  !  my  friends  there  is  not  a  man  among  you,  who 
has  really  believed,  who  has  not  felt  the  disquieting  thought  of 
which  I  am  now  speaking.  There  may  be  some  of  you  who  have 
felt  it  so  painfully,  that  it  has  obscured,  as  with  a  heavy  cloud,  the 
sweet  light  of  the  Gospel  peace,  shining  in  of  the  reconciled 
countenance  upon  the  soul.  The  thought  is  this  :  "  I  am  a  justified 
man  ;  but,  alas  !  I  am  not  a  sanctified  man.  I  can  look  at  my 
past  life  without  despair ;  but  how  can  I  look  forward  to  what  is 
to  come  V 

There  is  not  a  more  picturesque  moral  landscape  in  the  universe 
than  such  a  soul  presents.  Forgiven  all  trespasses  that  are  past, 
the  eye  looks  inwards  with  a  clearness  and  an  impartiality  un- 
known before,  and  there  it  gazes  upon  its  long  fostered  affections 
for  sin,  which,  like  ancient  rivers,  have  worn  a  deep  channel  into 
the  heart,  its  periodic  returns  of  passion,  hitherto  irresistible  and 
overwhelming,  like  the  tides  of  the  ocean ;  its  perversities  of  temper 
and  of  habit,  crooked  and  unyielding,  like  the  gnarled  branches 
of  a  stunted  oak.  Ah  !  what  a  scene  is  here,  what  anticipations 
of  the  future  !  what  forebodings  of  a  vain  struggle  against  the 
tyranny  of  lust !  against  the  old  trains  of  acting,  and  of  speaking, 
and  of  thinking  !  Were  it  not  that  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God 
is  one  of  the  chartered  rights  of  the  justified  man,  who  would  be 
surprised  if  this  view  of  terror  were  to  drive  a  man  back,  like  the 
dog  to  his  vomit,  or  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  wallow  again  in 
the  mire  ?  Now  it  is  to  the  man  precisely  in  this  situation,  crying 
out  at  morning  and  at  evening,  How  shall  I  be  made  new  ?  what 
good  shall  the  forgiveness  of  my  past  sins  do  me,  if  I  be  not  deliver- 
ed from  the  love  of  sin  ?  it  is  to  that  man  that  we  would  now,  with 
all  earnestness  and  affection,  point  out  the  example  of  Paul,  and  the 
secret  power  which  wrought  in  him.  "  The  love  of  Christ"  (says 
Paul)  "  constraineth  us."  We,  too,  are  men  of  like  passions  with 
yourselves  ;  that  same  sight  which  you  view  with  dismay  within 
you,  was  in  like  manner  revealed  to  us  in  all  its  discouraging 
power.  Nay,ever  and  anon  the  same  hideous  viewof  ourownhearts 
is  opened  up  to  us.  But  we  have  an  encouragement  which  never 
fails.  The  love  of  the  bleeding  Saviour  constraineth  us.  The 
Spirit  is  given  to  them  that  believe;  and  that  almighty  agent 
hath  one  argument  that  moves  us  continually — the  love  of 
Christ. 

My  present  object,  brethren,  is  to  show  how  this  argument,  in 
the  hand  of  the  Spirit,  does  move  the  believer  to  live  unto  God  ; 
how  so  simple  a  truth  as  the  love  of  Christ  to  man,  continually 


182  SERMON    XXX. 

presented  to  the  mind  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  enable  any  man 
to  live  a  life  of  Gospel  holiness  ;  and  if  there  be  one  man  among 
you  whose  great  inquiry  is :  How  shall  I  be  saved  from  sin,  how 
shall  I  walk  as  a  child  of  God  ?  that  is  the  man  of  all  others, 
whose  ear  and  heart  I  am  anxious  to  engage. 

1  The  love  of  Christ  to  man  constraineth  the  believer  to  live  a 
holy  life,  because  that  truth  takes  away  all  his  dread  and  hatred 
of  God. — When  Adam  was  unfallen,  God  was  everything  to  his 
soul ;  and  everything  was  good  and  desirable  to  him,  only  in  so 
far  as  it  had  to  do  with  God.  Every  vein  of  his  body,  so  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made,  every  leaf  that  rustled  in  the  bowers  of 
Paradise,  every  new  sun  that  rose,  rejoicing  like  a  strong  man  to 
run  his  race,  brought  him  in  every  day  new  subjects  of  godly 
thought  and  of  admiring  praise  ;  and  it  was  only  for  that  reason 
that  he  could  delight  to  look  on  them.  The  flowers  that  appeared 
on  the  earth,  the  singing  of  birds,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  heard 
throughout  the  happy  land,  the  fig  tree  putting  forth  her  green  figs, 
and  the  vines  with  the  tender  grapes  giving  a  good  smell,  all  these 
combined  to  bring  in  to  him  at  every  pore  a  rich  and  varied  tribute 
of  pleasantness.  And  why  1  Just  because  they  brought  into  the 
soul  rich  and  varied  communications  of  the  manifold  grace  of 
Jehovah.  For  just  as  you  may  have  seen  a  child  on  earth  devoted  to 
its  earthly  parent ;  pleased  with  everything  when  he  is  present, 
and  valuing  every  gift  just  as  it  shows  more  of  the  tenderness  of 
that  parent's  heart,  so  was  it  with  the  genuine  child  of  God.  In 
God  he  lived,  and  moved,  and  had  his  being ;  and  not  more  surely 
would  the  blotting  out  the  sun  in  the  heavens  have  taken  away 
that  light  which  is  so  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  than  would  the  hiding 
the  face  of  God  from  him  have  taken  away  the  light  of  his  soul, 
and  left  nature  a  dark  and  desolate  wilderness.  But  when  Adam 
fell,  the  fine  gold  became  dim,  the  system  of  his  thoughts  and  lik- 
ings was  just  reversed.  Instead  of  enjoying  God  in  everything, 
and  everything  in  God,  everything  now  seemed  hateful  and  dis- 
agreeable to  him,  just  in  as  far  as  it  had  to  do  with  God. 

When  man  sinned,  then  he  feared,  and  hated  Him  whom  he 
feared ;  and  fled  to  all  sin  just  to  flee  from  Him  whom  he  hated. 
So  that,  just  as  you  may  have  seen  a  child  who  has  grievously 
transgressed  against  a  loving  parent,  doing  all  it  can  to  hide  that 
parent  from  its  view  ;  hurrying  from  his  presence,  and  plunging 
into  other  thoughts  and  occupations,  just  to  rid  itself  of  the  thought 
of  his  justly  offended  father — in  the  very  same  way  when  fallen 
Adam  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the  garden  in 
the  cool  of  the  day,  that  voice  which,  before  he  sinned,  was  hea- 
venly music  in  his  ears — then  did  Adam  and  his  wife  hide  themselves 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  among  the  trees  of  the  garden. 
And  in  the  same  way  does  every  natural  man  run  from  the  voice 
and  presence  of  the  Lord,  not  to  hide  under  the  thick  embower- 
ing leaves  of  Paradise,  but  to  bury  himself  in  cares,  and  business 


SERMON    XXX.  183 

and  plensures  and  revellings.  Any  retreat  is  agreeable,  where 
God  is  not ;  any  occupation  is  tolerable,  if  God  be  not  in  the 
thouohts.  Now  I  am  quite  sure  that  many  of  you  may  hear  this 
charge  against  the  natural  man  with  incredulous  indifference,  if 
not  with  indignation.  You  do  not  feel  that  you  hate  God,  or 
dread  his  presence  ;  and,  therefore,  you  say  it  cannot  be  true. 
But,  brethren,  when  God  says  of  your  heart,  that  it  is  "  desperate- 
ly wicked,"  yea,  unsearchably  wicked,  who  can  know  it  ?  when 
God  claims  for  himself  the  privilege  of  knowing  and  trying  the 
heart ;  is  it  not  presumptuous  in  such  ignorant  beings  as  we  are, 
to  say  that  that  is  not  true,  with  respect  to  our  hearts,  which  God 
affirms  to  be  true,  merely  because  we  are  not  conscious  of  it  ?  God 
saith  that  "  the  carnal  7nind  is  enmity  against  God"  that  the  very 
grain  and  substance  of  an  unconverted  mind  is  hatred  against  God, 
absolute,  implacable  hatred  against  him  in  whom  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being.  It  is  quite  true  that  we  do  not  feel 
this  hatred  within  us ;  but  that  is  only  an  aggravation  of  our  sin 
and  of  our  danger.  We  have  so  choked  up  the  avenues  of  self- 
examination,  there  are  so  many  turnings  and  windings,  before  we 
can  arrive  at  the  true  motives  of  our  actions ;  that  our  dread  and 
hatred  of  God,  which  first  moved  man  to  sin,  and  which  are  still 
the  grand  impelling  forces  whereby  Satan  goads  on  the  children  of 
disobedience  ;  these  are  wholly  concealed  from  our  view,  and  you 
cannot  persuade  a  natural  man  that  they  are  really  there.  But 
the  Bible  testifies,  that  out  of  these  two  deadly  roots — dread  of 
God  and  hatred  of  God — grows  up  the  thick  forest  of  sins  with 
which  the  earth  is  blackened  and  overspread.  And  if  there  be 
one  among  you,  brethren,  who  has  been  awakened  by  God  to  know 
what  is  in  his  heart,  I  take  that  man  this  day  to  witness,  that  his 
bitter  cry,  in  the  view  of  all  his  sins,  has  ever  been  :  "  Against  thee, 
thee  only  have  I  sinned." 

If,  then,  dread  of  God,  and  hatred  of  God,  be  the  cause  of  all  our 
sins,  how  shall  we  be  cured  of  the  love  of  sin,  but  by  taking  away 
the  cause?  How  do  you  most  effectually  kill  the  noxious  weed'? 
Is  it  not  by  striking  at  the  root  ?  In  the  love  of  Christ  to  man, 
then — in  that  strange,  unspeakable  gift  of  God,  when  he  laid  down 
his  life  for  his  enemies,  when  he  died  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that 
he  might  bring  us  to  God  ;  do  not  you  see  an  object  which,  if 
really  believed  by  the  sinner,  takes  away  all  his  dread  and  all  his 
hatred  of  God?  The  root  of  sin  is  severed  from  the  stock.  In 
His  bearing  double  for  all  our  sins,  we  see  the  curse  carried  away, 
we  see  God  reconciled.  Why  should  we  fear  any  more  ?  Not 
fearing,  why  should  we  hate  God  any  more  ?  Not  hating  God, 
what  desirableness  can  we  see  in  sin  any  more  ?  Putting  on  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  we  are  again  placed  as  Adam  was,  with 
God  as  our  friend.  We  have  no  object  in  sinning  ;  and,  therefore, 
we  do  not  care  to  sin.  In  the  sixth  chapter  of  Romans,  Paul 
seems  to  speak  of  the  believer  sinning,  as  if  the  very  proposition 


184  SERMON   XXX. 

were  absurd.  "  How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to  sin;"  that  is, 
who  in  Christ  have  ah-eady  borne  the  penalty,  "  how  shall  we 
live  any  longer  therein?"  And  again  he  saith  very  boldly:  "  Sin 
shall  not  have  dominion  over  you" — it  is  impossible  in  the  nature 
of  things — "  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace  ;"  ye 
are  no  longer  under  the  curse  of  a  broken  law,  dreading  and 
hating  God ;  ye  are  under  grace  ;  under  a  system  of  peace  and 
friendship  with  God. 

But  is  there  any  one  ready  to  object  to  me,  that  if  these  things 
be  so,  if  nothing  more  than  that  a  man  be  brought  into  peace  with 
God  is  needful  to  a  holy  life  and  conversation,  how  comes  it  that 
believers  do  still  sin?  I  answer,  it  is  indeed  too  true  that  believ- 
ers do  sin  ;  but  it  is  just  as  true  that  unbelief  is  the  cause  of  their 
sinning.  If.  brethren,  you  and  I  were  to  live  with  our  eye  so 
closely  on  Christ  bearing  double  for  all  our  sins,  freely  offering  to 
all  a  double  righteousness  ibr  all  our  sins  ;  and  if  this  constant 
view  of  the  love  of  Christ  maintained  within  us,  as  assuredly  it 
would,  if  we  looked  with  a  straightforward  eye  ;  the  peace  of  God 
which  passeth  all  understanding  ;  the  peace  that  rests  on  nothing 
in  us,  but  upon  the  completeness  that  is  in  Christ,  then,  brethren,  I 
do  say,  that,  frail  and  helpless  as  we  are,  we  should  never  sin  ;  we 
should  not  have  the  slightest  object  in  sinning.  But,  ah  !  my 
friends,  this  is  not  the  way  with  us.  How  often  in  the  da)'  is  the 
love  of  Christ  quite  out  of  view  !  How  often  is  it  obscured  to  us  ! 
sometimes  hid  from  us  by  God  himself,  to  teach  us  what  we  are. 
How  often  are  we  left  without  the  realizing  sense  of  the  complete- 
ness of  his  offei'ing,  the  perfectness  of  his  righteousness,  and  with- 
out the  will  or  the  confidence  to  claim  an  interest  in  him  !  Who 
can  wonder,  then,  that,  where  there  is  so  much  unbelief,  dread 
and  hatred  of  God  should  again  and  again  creep  in,  and  sin  should 
often  display  its  poisonous  head  ?  The  matter  is  very  plain, 
brethren,  if  only  we  had  spiritual  eyes  to  see  it.  If  we  live  a  life 
of  faith  on  the  Son  of  God,  then  we  shall  assuredly  live  a  life  of 
holiness.  I  do  not  say  we  ought  to  do  so ;  but  I  say,  we  shall,  as 
a  matter  of  necessary  consequence.  But  in  as  far  as  we  do  not 
live  a  life  of  faith,  in  so  far  we  shall  live  a  life  of  unholiness.  It  is 
through  faith  that  God  purifies  the  heart ;  and  there  is  no  "other 
way. 

Is  there  one  of  you,  then,  brethren,  desirous  of  being  made 
new,  of  being  delivered  from  the  slavery  of  sinful  habits  and  affec- 
tions ?  We  can  point  you  to  no  other  remedy  but  the  love  of 
Christ.  Behold  how  he  loved  you  !  See  what  he  bore  for  you  ; 
put  your  finger,  as  it  were,  into  the  prints  of  the  nails,  and  thrust 
your  hand  into  his  side ;  and  be  no  more  faithless,  but  believing. 
Under  a  sense  of  your  sin,  flee  to  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  As  the 
timorous  dove  flies  to  hide  itself  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock,  so  do 
you  flee  to  hide  yourself  in  the  wounds  of  your  Saviour  ;  and 
when  you  have  found  him,  like  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a 


SERMON    XXX.  185 

weary  land  ;  when  you  sit  under  his  shadow,  with  great  delight ; 
you  will  find  that  he  hath  slain  all  the  enmity  ;  that  he  hath 
accomplished  all  your  warfare.  God  is  now  for  you.  Planted 
together  with  Christ  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  you  shall  be  also 
in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.  Dead  unto  sin,  you  shall  be 
alive  unto  God. 

2.  The  love  of  Christ  to  man  conslraineth  the  believer  fo  live  a 
holy  life  ;  because  that  truth  not  only  takes  away  our  fear  and 
hatred,  hut  stirs  up  our  love. — When  we  are  brought  to  see  the 
reconciled  face  of  God  in  peace,  that  is  a  great  privilege.  But 
how  can  we  look  upon  that  face,  reconciling  and  reconciled,  and 
not  love  h'm  who  hath  so  loved  us  1  Love  begets  love.  We  can 
hardly  keep  from  esteeming  those  on  earth  who  really  love  us, 
however  worlhless  they  may  be.  But,  ah  !  my  friends,  when  we 
are  convinced  that  God  loves  us,  and  convinced  in  such  a  way  as 
by  the  giving  up  of  his  Son  for  us  all,  how  can  we  but  love  him, 
in  whom  are  all  excellences — everything  to  call  forth  love?  I 
have  already  shown  you  that  the  Gospel  is  a  restoi'ative  scheme; 
it  brings  us  back  to  the  same  state  of  friendship  with  God  which 
Adam  enjoyed,  and  thus  takes  away  the  desire  of  sin.  But  now 
I  wish  to  show  you,  that  the  Gospel  does  far  more  than  restore  us 
to  the  state  from  which  we  fell.  If  rightly  and  consistently  em- 
braced by  us,  it  brings  us  into  a  state  far  better  than  Adam's.  It 
constrains  us  by  a  far  more  powerful  motive.  Adam  had  not  this 
strong  love  of  God  to  man  shed  abroad  in  his  heart ;  and,  there- 
fore, he  had  not  this  constraining  power  to  make  him  live  to  God. 
But  our  eyes  have  seen  this  great  sight.  Before  us  Christ  hath 
been  evidently  set  forth  crucified.  If  really  we  believe,  his  love 
hath  brought  us  into  peace,  through  pardon  ;  and  because  we  are 
pardoned  and  at  peace  with  God,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given  us.  ■< 
What  to  do?  Why,  just  to  shed  abroad  this  truth  over  our 
hearts,  to  show  us  more  and  more  of  this  love  of  God  to  us,  that 
we  may  be  drawn  to  love  him  who  hath  so  loved  us,  to  live  to  him 
who  died  for  us  and  rose  ngain. 

It  is  truly  admirable  to  see  how  the  B.ble  way  of  making  us 
holy  is  suited  to  our  nature.  Had  God  proposed  to  frighten  us 
into  a  holy  life,  how  vain  would  have  been  the  attempt !  Men 
have  always  an  idea,  that  if  one  came  from  the  dead  to  tell  us  of 
the  reality  of  the  doleful  regions  where  dwell,  in  endless  misery, 
the  spirits  of  the  damned,  that  that  would  constrain  us  to  live  a 
holy  life  ;  but,  alas  !  brethren,  what  ignorance  does  this  not  show 
of  our  mysterious  nature  !  Suppose  that  God  should  this  hour  un- 
veil before  our  eyes  the  secrets  of  those  dreadful  abodes  where 
nope  never  comes ;  nay,  suppose,  if  it  were  possible,  that  you 
were  actually  made  to  feel  for  a  season  the  real  pains  of  the  lake 
of  living  agony,  and  the  worm  that  never  dies  ;  and  then  that  you 
were  brought  back  again  to  the  earth,  and  placed  in  your  old 
situation,  among  your  old  friends  and  companions  ;  do  you  really 


186-  SERMON    XXX. 

think  that  there  would  be  any  chance  of  your  walking  with  God 
as  a  child  ?  I  doubt  not  you  would  be  frightened  out  of  your 
positive  sins  ;  the  cup  of  godless  pleasure  would  drop  from  your 
hand ;  you  would  shudder  at  an  oath,  you  would  tremble  at  a 
falsehood,  because  you  had  seen  and  felt  something  of  the  torment 
which  awaits  the  drunkard,  and  the  swearer,  and  the  liar,  in  the 
world  beyond  the  grave  ;  but  do  you  really  think  that  you  would 
live  to  God,  any  more  than  you  did  ;  that  yoU  would  serve  him 
better  than  before  1  It  is  quite  true  you  might  be  driven  to  give 
larger  charity  ;  yea,  all  your  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  your 
body  to  be  burned ;  you  might  live  strictly  and  soberly,  most 
fearful  of  breaking  one  of  the  commandments,  all  the  rest  of  your 
days  :  but  this  would  not  be  living  to  God ;  you  would  not  love 
him  one  wbit  more.  Ah  !  brethren,  you  are  sadly  blinded  to  your 
curiously  formed  hearts,  if  you  do  not  know  that  love  cannot  be 
forced  ;  no  man  was  ever  frightened  into  love,  and,  therefore,  no 
man  was  ever  frightened  into  holiness. 

But  thrice  blessed  be  God,  he  hath  invented  a  wa,y  more  power- 
ful than  hell  and  all  its  terrors ;  an  argument  mightier  far  than 
even  a  sight  of  those  torments  ;  he  hath  invented  a  way  of  draw- 
ing us  to  holiness.  By  showing  us  the  love  of  his  Son,  he  calleth 
forth  our  love.  He  knew  our  fi'ame,  he  remembered  that  we  were 
dust,  he  knew  all  the  peculiarities  of  our  treacherous  hearts  ;  and, 
therefore,  he  suited  his  way  of  sanctifying  to  the  creature  to  be 
sanctified.  And  thus,  the  Spirit  doth  not  make  use  of  terror  to 
sanctify  us,  but  of  love :  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us." 
He  draws  us  by  "  the  cords  of  love,  by  the  bands  of  a  man."  What 
parent  docs  not  know  that  the  true  way  to  gain  the  obedience  of  a 
child,  is  to  gain  the  affections  of  the  child  ?  And  think  you,  God, 
who  gave  us  this  wisdom,  doth  not  himself  know  1  Think  you  he 
would  set  about  obtaining  the  obedience  of  his  children,  without 
first  of  all  gaining  their  affections  ?  To  gain  our  affections,  bre- 
thren, which  by  nature  rove  over  the  face  of  the  world,  God  hath 
sent  his  son  into  the  world  to  bear  the  curse  of  our  sins. 
"  Though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we, 
through  his  poverty,  might  be  made  rich." 

And  oh !  if  there  is  but  one  of  you  who  will  consent  this  day, 
under  a  sense  of  undoneness,  to  flee  for  refuge  to  the  Saviour, 
to  find  in  him  the  forgiveness  of  all  sins  that  are  past,  I  know 
well,  that  from  this  day  forth  you  will  be  like  that  poor  woman 
which  was  a  sinner,  which  stood  at  Christ's  feet  behind  him, 
weeping,  and  began  to  wash  his  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe 
them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head ;  and  kissed  his  feet,  and 
anointed  them  with  the  ointment.  Forgiven  much,  you  will 
love  much  ;  loving  much,  you  will  live  to  the  service  of 
Him  whom  you  love.  This  is  the  grand  master-principle  of 
which  we  spoke  ;  this  is  the  secret  spring  of  all  the  holiness  of 
the   saints.     The  Ufe  of  holiness  is  not  what  the  world  falsely 


SERMON    XXX. 


represents  it,  a  life  of  preciseness  and  painfulness,  in  which  a 
man  crosses  every  affection  of  his  nature.  There  is  no  such 
thing  as  self-denial  in  the  Popish  sense  of  that  word  in  the  reli- 
gion of  the  Bible.  The  system  of  restrictions  and  self-crossings 
is  the  very  system  which  Satan  hath  set  up  as  a  counterfeit  of 
God's  way  of  sanctifying.  It  is  thus  that  Satan  frightens  away 
thousands  from  Gospel  peace  and  Gospel  holiness ;  as  if  to  be 
a  sanctified  man  were  to  be  a  man  who  crossed  every  desire  of 
his  being,  who  did  everything  that  was  disagreeable  and  uncom- 
fortable to  him.  My  friends,  our  text  distinctly  shows  you  that  it 
is  not  so.  We  are  constrained  to  holiness  by  the  love  of  Christ ; 
the  love  of  him  who  loved  us,  is  the  only  cord  by  which  we  are 
bound  to  the  service  of  God.  The  scourge  oi'  our  affections 
is  the  only  scourge  that  drives  us  to  duty.  Sweet  bands  and 
gentle  scourges  !     Who  would  not  be  under  their  power  ? 

And,  finally,  brethren,  if  Christ's  love  to  us  be  the  object  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  makes  use  of,  at  the  very  first,  to  draw  us  to  the 
service  of  Christ,  it  is  by  means  of  the  same  object  that  he  draws 
us  to  persevere  even  unto  the  end.  So  that  if  you  are  visited 
with  seasons  of  coldness  and  indifference,  if  you  begin  to  be 
weary,  or  lag  behind  in  the  service  of  God,  behold  !  here  is  the 
remedy :  Look  again  to  the  bleeding  Saviour.  That  Sun  of 
Righteousness  is  the  grand  attractive  centre,  round  which  all  his 
saints  move  swiftly,  and  in  smooth  harmonious  concert, "  not  with- 
out song."  As  long  as  the  believing  eye  is  fixed  upon  his  love, 
the  path  of  the  believer  is  easy  and  unimpeded  ;  for  that  love 
always  constraineth.  But  lift  off  the  believmg  eye,  and  the  path 
becomes  impracticable,  the  life  of  holiness  a  weariness.  Whoso- 
ever, then,  would  live  a  life  of  persevering  holiness,  let  him  keep 
his  eye  fixed  on  the  Saviour.  As  long  as  Peter  looked  only  to 
the  Saviour,  he  walked  upon  the  sea  in  safety,  to  go  to  Jesus ; 
but  when  he  looked  around,  and  saw  the  wind  boisterous,  he 
was  afraid,  and  beginning  to  sink,  cried,  "  Lord,  save  me  1" 
Just  so  will  it  be  with  you.  As  long  as  you  look  believingly  to 
the  Saviour,  who  loved  you,  and  gave  himself  for  you,  so  long 
you  may  tread  the  waters  of  life's  troubled  sea,  and  the  soles 
of  your  feet  shall  not  be  wet ;  but  venture  to  look  around  upon 
the  winds  and  waves  that  threaten  you  on  every  hand,  and, 
like  Peter,  you  begin  to  sink,  and  cry,  "  Lord,  save  me  !"  How 
justly,  then,  may  we  address  to  you  the  Saviour's  rebuke  to  Peter  : 
"  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt  ?"  Look 
again  to  the  love  of  the  Saviour,  and  behold  that  love  which 
constraineth  thee  to  live  no  more  to  thyself,  but  to  liim  that  died 
for  thee  and  rose  again. 

College  Church,  August  30,  1S35 


188  SERMON    XXXI. 


SERMON  XXXI. 


ARISE,    SHINE. 


"Arise,  shine  ;  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee. 
For,  behold,  the  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people; 
but  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee.  And 
the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising." 
— Isa.  Ix.,  1-3 

These  words  are  yet  to  be  fulfilled  in  Jerusalem.  It  has  been 
long  trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles,  its  walls  are  desolate,  its  tem- 
ple burnt,  and  the  Mosque  of  Omar  raised  over  it  in  cruel  mock- 
ery. The  ways  of  Zion  do  mourn  ;  because  none  come  to  the 
solemn  feasts.  No  sunbeam  pours  upon  the  dark  browof  Judah; 
no  star  of  Bethlehem  sparkles  in  their  sky.  But  another  day  is 
at  hand.  The  time  is  coming  when  a  voice  shall  be  heard  say- 
ing to  Jerusalem  ;  "  Arise,  shine  ;  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee." 

Observe,  1.  It  shall  be  a  time  when  the  world  is  in  darkness; 
"  For,  behold,  the  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  dark- 
ness the  people."  The  whole  Bible  bears  witness  that  the  time 
when  the  Jew  is  to  be  enlightened  is  to  be  a  time  when  the  world 
is  dark  and  unenlightened.  Paul  says  plainly  that  the  world  will 
be  dead,  one  great  dead  mass,  when  God  gives  life  to  the  Jews  : 
"  If  the  casting  away  of  them  has  been  the  reconciling  of  the 
world,  what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  be,  but  life  from  the  dead  ?" 

2.  In  that  time  of  darkness,  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  reveal  him- 
self to  the  Jews,  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away,  and  that  glori- 
ous Bridegroom  shall  come  forth  to  them  :  "  The  Lord  shall 
arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee."  Like  the 
rising  sun  appearing  above  the  hills,  tinging  all  Mount  Olivet  with 
living  gold,  then  pouring  down  upon  the  prostrate  ruins  of  Jeru- 
salem, till  the  holy  hills  smile  again  in  his  cheering  ray  ;  so  shall  it 
be  with  desolated  Judah.  Christ  shall  arise  upon  their  souls, 
the  day  shall  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  on  their  heaits. 
Christ  shall  appear  beautiful  and  glorious,  and  they  shall  submit 
with  joy  to  put  on  his  imputed  righteousness.  His  glory,  his 
beauty,  his  comeliness  shall  be  seen  upon  them. 

3.  Observe  the  command  of  God  to  the  enlightened  Jews  : 
"  Arise,  shine."  Hitherto  they  have  been  sitting  on  the  ground, 
desolate,  in  darkness  ;  but  when  Christ  is  revealed  to  them,  they 
shall  give  life  to  the  dead  world,  they  shall  be  the  lights  of  a  dark 
world.  The  word  is,  "  Arise,  shine."  As  Christ  rises  upon  them, 
so  they  must  rise  on  the  dark  world  ;  as  Christ  shines  upon  them, 
so  they  must  reflect  his  beauty  and  his  brightness  all  around. 
Even  as  the  moon,  in  itself  dark  and  desolate,  does  not  drink  in 


SERMON  xxxr.  189 

tho  rays  of  the  sun,  but  arises  and  shines,  reflecting  h's  beams  on 
the  dark  earth;  so  shall  it  be  with  the  cnUghtened  Jews. 

4.  The  effect  :  "  The  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings 
to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising."  When  the  songs  of  the  ransomed 
Israelites  are  heard  in  their  native  moimtains.  their  mouth  filled 
with  laughter  and  their  tongue  with  singing,  then  shall  the  nations 
say :  "  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  them."  Ten  men 
out  of  all  languages  of  the  nations  shall  take  hold  of  the  skirt 
of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying  :  "  We  will  go  with  you  ;  for  we  have 
heard  that  God  is  with"  you."  When  the  psalms  of  Israel  rise 
from  under  their  vine  and  their  fig-tree,  even  kings  shall  lay  by 
their  crowns,  and  come  to  learn  of  them  the  way  to  peace. 
Dear  brethren,  pray  for  the  Jews,  pray  for  the  peace  of  Jeru- 
salem. Oh  !  hasten  the  happy  day.  The  Lord  will  hasten  it 
in  his  time. 

Doctrine. — Christ  arises  and  shines  upon  souls,  in  order  that 
they  may  arise  and  shine. 

\.  By  nature  men  are  in  a  state  of  darkness.  Verse  2  :  *'  Dark- 
ness covers  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people."  When 
Christ  arises  upon  a  soul,  he  finds  it  in  utter  darkness. 

L  He  does  not  knoio  himself. — A  man  in  the  dark  cannot  see 
himself,  he  cannot  see  his  own  hand  before  him,  he  cannot  tell 
whether  his  hands  are  filthy  or  clean  ;  so  is  it  with  all  of  you  who 
are  in  an  unconverted  state.  You  do  not  know  yourselves. 
Yo'n*  fingers  are  defiled,  your  garments  are  stained  ;  but  you 
know  it  not.  Impure  desires  are  written  in  your  heart ;  but 
you  cannot  read  what  is  there.  You  say :  "  Peace,  peace, 
when  there  is  no  peace." 

2.  A  natural  man  shrinks  frojn  the  light. — A  person  who  has 
been  long  in  a  dark  dungeon,  cannot  bear  the  glaring  light ;  it 
hurts  the  eyes  ;  he  starts  back  into  his  darkness  ;  so  is  it  with 
all  unconverted  souls.  You  love  the  darkness  rather  than  the 
light ;  because  your  deeds  are  evil.  When  the  light  of  God's  holy 
law  is  brought  upon  you,  you  shrink  back  from  it.  When  Jesus, 
who  is  the  light  of  the  world,  is  preached  unto  you,  you  shut  your 
eyes  closer  than  before.  Is  there  none  of  you  who  has  felt  that 
when  Christ  is  fully  preached  to  you,  when  you  have  been  com- 
pelled for  a  little  to  bear  the  light  of  his  lovely  countenance  shin- 
ing through  the  Word,  when  you  have  gone  home,  did  you  not 
creep  back  with  delight  to  other  thoughts  of  sin  and  worldliness  ? 
The  more  that  sun  shone,  the  more  you  have  closed  your  eyes. 
Oh  !  how  plainly  you  are  in  darkness,  and  a  lover  of  it. 

3.  A  natural  man  gropes  after  salvation. — A  man  in  the  dark 
gropes  like  the  blind.  If  he  wants  to  find  the  door,  he  is  obliged 
to  feel  for  it ;  he  gropes  about,  not  knowing  where  to  place  his 
hand  ;  often  he  goes  in  the  very  opposite  direction  :  so  is  it  with 
natural  men  seeking  salvation,  they  grope  for  it  in  the  dark.    "  We 


190  SERMON    XXXI. 

grope  for  the  wall  like  the  blind,  and  we  grope  ns  if  we  had  no 
eyes :  we  stumble  at  noonday  as  in  the  night ;  we  are  in  desolate 
places  as  dead  men."  Isa.  lix,,  10.  Do  you  not  remember  a  time 
when  you  were  alarmed  about  your  soul  ?  a  sudden  threatening  of 
death,  or  the  near  approach  of  a  sacrament,  awakened  you  to 
tremble  for  your  soul.  And  where  did  you  go  for  peace  ?  You 
did  not  know  where  to  go ;  you  groped  for  it ;  you  did  not  know 
where  to  turn  yourself.  You  were  directed  to  Jesus  ;  but  you 
could  comprehend  him  :  "  The  darkness  comprehended  it  not." 
How  plain  that  you  are  in  gross  darkness  ! 

4.  They  knoio  not  at  what  they  shall  stumble.— A  man  in  the 
dark  does  not  know  what  he  may  come  against.  His  next  step 
may  be  over  a  precipice,  or  upon  dark  mountains  ;  so  is  it  with 
Christless  souls  :  "  The  path  of  the  wicked  is  as  darkness  ;  they 
know  not.  at  what  they  shall  stumble."  Oh  !  poor  blinded  souls, 
that  walk  so  boldly  in  sin ;  ye  know  not  what  ye  do.  You  that 
know  you  have  never  come  to  Christ,  and  yet  walk  with  a  light, 
confident  step,  as  if  you  were  to  walk  on  a  smooth  carpet  for  ever, 
awake,  dear  souls.  .  Do  not  rush  on  in  the  dark  ;  for  fear,  and  the 
pit,  and  the  snare  are  in  the  way,  and  many  bold  sinners  have  gone 
down  quick  into  hell.  Give  glory  to  the  Lord  before  your  feet 
stumble  on  the  dark  mountains,  and  while  ye  look  for  light,  he  turn 
it  into  the  shadow  of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness. 

II.  Learn  how  a  soul  is  brought  into  light  and  peace ;  "  The 
Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee." 

1.  It  is  by  Christ  rising  upon  the  soul. — The  image  here  is  taken 
from  the  rising  of  the  sun.  When  the  sun  rises,  then  all  is  light; 
so  when  Christ  rises  upon  the  soul,  all  is  light.  When  God  first 
awakens  a  soul,  he  finds  himself  sitting  in  gross  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death ;  he  fears  he  shall  soon  be  cast  into  outer 
darkness.  He  says,  I  must  make  my  way  to  light ;  so  he  strug- 
gles to  justify  himself  he  tries  to  blot  out  his  past  sins  by  repent- 
ance, he  tries  to  mend  his  life ;  but  he  is  met  by  the  word  :  "  Be- 
hold, all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  that  compass  yourselves  about  with 
sparks,  walk  in  the  light  of  your  fire  and  in  the  sparks  that  ye 
have  kindled  ;  this  shall  ye  have  of  mine  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down 
in  sorrow."  So  he  sits  down  in  agony,  in  more  midnight  dark- 
ness than  before ;  but  man's  extremity  is  God's  opportunity.  The 
soul  is  sitting,  as  it  were,  in  a  dungeon  ;  he  sees  no  way  of  peace. 
The  Spirit  opens  the  Word,  and  Christ  shines  through,  Christ  the 
Son  of  God,  the  Lord  our  Righteousness.  The  heart  of  Christ 
is  revealed,  his  love  to  the  lost,  his  undertaking  for  them,  his  surety- 
ship obedience,  his  suretyship  sufferings.  Glorious  Christ  I  pre- 
cious Christ !  He  shines  like  a  new  sun,  the  soul  gazes  and  says  : 
"  Truly  light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  be- 
hold the  sun."  Has  Christ  risen  upon  you  ?  Has  he  been  re- 
vealed to  you,  that  better  Sun  ?     Oh  !  if  not,  you  are  of  all  men 


SERMON    XXXI.  191 

most  miserable  ;  you  are  sitting  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of 
death.  Oh !  what  are  all  the  sparks  of  worldly  pleasure,  what 
are  all  the  fires  and  torches  of  the  world's  kindling  ?  They  are 
like  the  glowworm's  deceitful  blaze,  they  are  leading  you  to  ruin ; 
they  will  soon  go  out,  and  leave  you  to  the  blackness  of  darkness 
for  ever. 

Anxious  souls,  learn  to  look  out  for  peace. — Oh  !  how  anxiously 
you  search  that  bosom,  to  see  if  there  is  any  change  there  which 
may  give  you  peace.  Now,  change  your  plan.  No  more  gaze 
into  that  foul  dungeon ;  but  look  out  upon  the  glorious  Sun,  look 
upon  Christ :  one  look  to  him  gives  peace. 

Learn  to  wait  for  light. — Be  like  those  that  wait  for  the  morn- 
ing. You  can  no  more  bring  yourself  into  peace  than  you  can 
change  the  course  of  the  sun.  Feel  your  vileness,  feel  your  help- 
lessness, and  wait  on  his  hand  to  take  the  veil  away.  "  I  wait  for 
the  Lord  ;  my  soul  doth  wait,  and  in  his  word  do  I  hope  ;  my 
soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord  more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morn- 

2.  Christ's  glory  is  put  upon  the  soul: — "His  glory  shall  be 
seen  upon  thee."  It  has  long  been  discovered  that  color  is  nothing 
in  the  object,  but  is  all  thrown  upon  it  by  the  sun,  and  reflected 
back  again.  The  beautiful  colors  with  which  this  lovely  world 
is  adorned,  all  proceed  from  the  sun.  His  glory  is  seen  upon  the 
earth.  It  is  all  the  gift  of  the  sun  that  the  grass  is  of  that  refresh- 
ing green,  and  the  rivers  are  lines  of  waving  blue  ;  it  is  all  the 
gift  of  the  sun  that  the  flowers  are  tinged  with  their  thousand 
glories ;  that  the  petal  of  the  rose  has  its  delicate  blush,  and  the 
lily,  that  neither  toils  nor  spins,  a  brightness  that  is  greater  than 
Solomon's.  Now,  my  dear  souls,  this  is  the  way  in  which  you 
may  be  justified.  You  are  dark,  and  vile,  and  worthless  in  your- 
selves ;  but  Christ's  glory  shall  be  seen  on  you. 

Observe  it  is  His  glori/. — If  you  only  consent  to  take  Christ  for 
your  surety,  his  divine  righteousness  is  all  imputed  to  you ;  his 
sufferings,  his  obedience  are  both  yours.  Tell  me,  anxious  soul, 
what  are  you  seeking?  "lam  seeking  to  make  myself  appear 
better  in  the  sight  of  God."  Well,  then,  do  you  think  you  will 
ever  make  yourself  appear  as  lovely  and  glorious  as  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  eyes  of  God  ?  "  No,  I  have  no  hope  of  that."  Ah  !  then, 
look  here.  Christ  himself  is  offered  you  for  a  covering ;  put  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee.  Oh  I 
that  God  would  open  some  heart  to  believe  the  word  concerning 
Jesus.  Oh !  to  see  dust  and  ashes  clothed  in  the  brightness  and 
beauty  of  Christ !  Oh !  to  see  a  weary  sinner  perfect  in  beauty, 
through  Christ's  comeliness  !  This  is  the  loveliest  sight  in  all  the 
world.     "  His  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee." 

III.  The  command  to  all  in  Christ:  "Arise,  shine."  There  never 
yet  was  a  man  saved  for  himself.     God  never  yet  made  a  Chris- 


192  SERMON    XXXI. 

tian  to  be  a  selfish  being.  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth."  But 
salt  is  not  for  itself,  but  to  be  used.  A  city  set  on  a  hill  cannot 
be  hid  ;  so  a  Christian  is  set  upon  God's  holy  hill  not  to  be  hid. 
No  man  lighteth  a  candle  and  putteth  it  under  a  bushel  or  a  bed, 
but  on  a  candlestick,  and  then  it  gives  light  to  all  that  are  in  the 
house.  But  here  is  a  more  wonderful  comparison  still :  '•  Arise, 
shine."  Christians  are  to  become  like  Christ — little  suns,  to  rise 
and  shine  upon  the  dark  world.  He  rises  and  shines  upon  us, 
and  then  says  to  us,  *'  Arise,  shine."  This  is  Christ's  command  to 
all  on  whom  he  has  arisen  :  "  Arise,  shine."  Dear  Christians,  ye 
are  the  lights  of  the  world.  Poor,  and  feeble,  and  dark,  and  sin-' 
ful,  though  you  be,  Christ  has  risen  upon  you  for  this  very  end, 
that  you  might  •'  Arise  and  shine." 

1.  Be  like  the  sun,  which  shineth  every  day,  and  in  every  place. — 
Wherever  he  goes  he  carries  light ;  so  do  you.  Some  shine  like 
the  sun  in  public  before  men,  but  are  dark  as  night  in  their  own 
family.  Dear  Christians,  look  more  to  Christ,  and  you  will  shine 
more  constantly. 

2.  Shine  with  Christ's  light. — The  moon  rises  and  shines,  but 
not  with  her  own  light,  she  gathers  all  from  the  sun ;  so  do  you. 
Shine  in  such  a  way  that  Christ  shall  have  all  the  glory.  They 
shine  brightest  who  feel  most  their  own  darkness,  and  are  most 
clothed  in  Christ's  brightness.  Oh !  wherever  you  go,  make  it 
manifest  that  your  light  and  peace  all  come  from  him  ;  that  it  is 
by  looking  unto  Jesus  that  you  shine  ;  that  your  holiness  all  comes 
from  union  to  him.     "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men." 

3.  Make  it  the  business  of  your  life  to  shine. — If  the  sun  were 
to  grow  weary  of  running  his  daily  journey,  and  were  to  give 
over  shining,  would  you  not  say  it  should  be  taken  down  ?  for  did 
not  God  hang  it  in  the  sky  to  give  light  upon  the  earth?  Just  so, 
dear  Christians,  if  you  grow  weary  in  well-doing,  in  shining  with 
Christ's  beauty,  in  walking  by  Christ's  Spirit,  you,  too,  should  be 
taken  down  and  cast  away ;  for  did  not  Christ  arise  upon  you  for 
this  very  end,  that  you  might  be  a  light  in  the  world  ?  Ah  !  think 
of  this,  dark,  useless  Christians,  who  are  putting  your  candle  under 
a  bushel.  I  tremble  for  some  who  will  not  lay  themselves  out  for 
Christ.  Ah !  you  are  wronging  yourselves  and  dishonoring 
Christ.  Your  truest  happiness  is  in  shining;  the  more  you  shine 
for  Christ,  the  happier  you  will  be.  "  To  me  to  live  is  Christ ; 
and  to  die,  gain." 

4.  Shine  far  and  near. — You  arc  this  day  besought  to  help  your 
brethren  in  the  colonies  ;  to  send  them  the  Gospel,  that  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  may  rise  upon  them.  Ohj.  Better  help  the  heathen 
at  home.  Ans.  It  is  quite  right  to  help  the  heathen  at  home  ;  but 
it  is  just  as  right  to  help  the  heathen  abroad.  Oh !  that  God 
would  free  you  from  a  narrow  mind,  and  give  you  his  own  divine 
Spirit.  Learn  a  lesson  from  the  sun.  It  shines  both  far  and  near  ; 
it  does  not  pour  its  beams  all  into  one  sunny  valley,  or  on  one 


SERMON    XXXII.  193 

bright  land.  No  ;  it  journeys  on  from  shore  to  shore  ;  pours  its 
rich  beams  upon  the  wide  ocean ;  on  the  torrid  sands  of  Africa 
and  the  icy  coasts  of  Greenland.  Go  you  and  do  Ukewise. 
Shine  as  lights  in  the  world. 

Shine  in  your  closet  in  secret  prayer.  Ah  !  let  your  face  shine 
in  secret  communion  with  God.  Shine  in  your  family ;  that  with- 
out the  word  you  may  gain  their  souls.  Shine  in  your  town ; 
that,  when  you  mingle  with  the  crowd,  it  may  be  as  if  an  angel 
shook  his  wings.  Shine  in  the  world  ;  embrace  every  shore  with 
the  beams  of  living  love.  Oh  !  let  your  heart's  desire  and  prayer 
be,  that  every  soul  may  be  saved.  Be  like  Christ  himself,  who  is 
not  willing  that  any  should  perish.  And  whenever  a  soul  sinks 
into  the  dark  lake  of  eternal  agony,  may  you  be  able  to  lift  up 
your  tearful  eyes  and  say :  Father,  I  have  prayed  to  the  last,  and 
spoken  to  the  last.  "Even  so,  Father;  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight." 


SERMON  XXXII. 


MELTING  THE  BETRAYER. 


"  When  Jesus  had  thus  said,  he  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  testified,  and  said,  Ve- 
rily, verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me." — John  xiii.,  21. 

There  are  many  excellent  and  most  Christian  men  who  think 
that  the  feast  of  the  Lord's  Supper  should  never  be  sulUed  or 
interrupted  by  allusions  to  those  who  may  be  eating  and  drinking 
unworthily.  They  think  tliat  when  men  have,  by  their  own 
solemn  act  and  deed,  deliberately  seated  themselves  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord,  that  table  to  which  none  but  believers  in  Jesus  are 
invited,  they  think  that,  for  the  time  being,  at  least,  it  is  the  part 
of  that  charity  which  hopeth  all  things,  to  address  them  as  if  all 
were  the  genuine  disciples  of  Jesus,  and  children  of  God.  These 
good  men  know  well  that  there  are  always  many  intruders  into 
that  holy  ordinance ;  they  know  that  many  come  from  mere 
custom,  and  a  sense  of  decency,  and  from  a  dislike  to  be  marked 
out  as  openly  irreligious  and  profane ;  and  though  they  feel,  in 
addressing  the  whole  mass  as  Christians,  many  a  rise  of  conscience 
within,  many  a  sad  foreboding  that  the  true  guests  may  be  the  little 
flock,  while  the  intruders  may  be  the  vast  majority  ;  yet  they  do 
not  feel  themselves  called  upon  to  disturb  the  enjoyment  of  the 
believing  flock,  however  few  they  may  be,  by  insinuating  any 
such  dark  suspicion  as  that  there  may  be  some  there  who  have 
already  sold  their  Lord  for  their  sins ;  some  who,  though  they 
may  eat  bread  with  him,  yet  lift  up  the  heel  against  him. 
13 


\ 


194  SERMON    XXXII, 

Now,  a  most  complete  answer  to  the  scruples  of  these  good 
men  is  to  be  found  in  the  example  of  our  blessed  Lord.  In  that 
night,  so  much  to  be  remembered,  in  which  he  instituted  the 
Lord's  Supper,  a  night  in  which  nothing  but  kindness  and  ten- 
derness flowed  from  his  blessed  lips,  we  find  that  no  fewer  than 
five  times  over  did  he  begin  to  speak  about  his  betrayer.  In 
many  respects  that  was  the  most  wonderful  evening  that  ever  was 
in  the  world,  and  that  upper  room  in  Jerusalem  the  most  wonder- 
ful room  that  ever  was  in  the  world.  Never  did  the  shades  of 
evening  gather  round  a  more  wonderful  company,  never  did  the 
walls  of  an  upper  chamber  look  upon  so  wonderful  a  scene.  Three 
strange  events  were  crowded  into  that  little  space.  1st,  There 
was  the  washing  the  disciples'  feet;  the  Lord  of  glory  stooping  as 
a  servant  to  wash  the  feet  of  poor  worms  !  2d,  There  was  the  last 
passover,  eating  of  the  lamb  and  the  bitter  herbs,  which  had  been 
the  memorial  of  the  dying  Saviour  to  all  believing  Jews,  but  which 
was  now  to  come  to  an  end.  3d,  There  was  the  first  Lord's 
Supper,  the  breaking  of  bread  and  pouring  out  of  wine,  and  the 
giving  and  receiving  of  it,  which  was  to  be  the  memorial  of  his 
dying  love  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Oh  !  what  an  as- 
semblage of  love  was  here  !  what  a  meeting  together  of  incidents, 
each  one  more  than  another  picturing  forth  the  inexpressible  love 
of  Jesus !  Oh !  what  an  awfully  tender  hour  was  this !  Oh  ! 
what  an  awfully  tender  joy  was  now  thrilling  through  the  bosoms 
of  his  believing  disciples  !  Oh  !  brethren,  what  an  exulting  glad- 
ness would  now  fill  the  bosom  of  the  courageous  Peter !  what  an 
adoring  love  the  breast  of  the  Israelite  indeed,  the  simple-hearted 
Nathaniel !  and  what  a  breathing  of  unspeakable  affection  in  the 
heart  of  the  beloved  John,  as  he  leaned  on  the  dear  Saviour's 
bosom  !  Oh  !  who  would  break  in  on  such  an  hour  of  holy  joy  with 
harsh  and  cruel  words  about  the  betrayer?  who  would  dare  to 
ruffle  the  calm  tranquillity  of  such  a  moment  by  one  word  of  dark 
suspicion  ?  Hush  !  brethren,  it  is  the  Saviour  that  speaks  :  "  Ve- 
rily, verily,  I  say  unto  you  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me." 

I  trust,  then,  my  friends,  you  see  plainly,  from  the  example  of  our 
blessed  Lord,  that  the  awfully  solemn  warning  of  the  text,  instead  of 
being  a  rash  and  unwarrantable  intrusion  upon  the  joyous  feelings 
with  which  every  true  disciple  should  encompass  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  is,  of  all  other  Scriptures,  the  most  appropriate,  and  the 
most  like  what  Jesus  would  have  us  to  say  upon  this  solemn 
occasion.  It  is  not,  then,  with  the  harshness  of  unfeeling  man, 
but  it  is  with  the  tenderness  of  the  compassionate  Jesus,  that  we 
repeat  these  words  in  your  hearing  :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me." 

There  is  a  cruel  kindness,  almost  too  cruel,  one  would  think, 
for  this  cruel  world,  which  is  sometimes  practised  by  the  friends 
of  a  dying  man,  when  from  day  to  day  they  mark  the  approaches 
of  death  upon  his  pallid  cheek,  and  yet  they  will  not  breathe  a 


SERMON    XXXII.  195 

whisper  of  his  danger  to  him.  They  flatter  him  with  murderous 
lies,  that  he  is  getting  better,  and  will  yet  see  many  days,  when 
his  days  are  numbered.  But  ten  thousand  times  more  cruel,  more 
base  and  unfeeling,  would  that  minister  be,  who,  set  over  you  by 
God  to  care  for  your  never-dying  souls,  should  yet  look  upon 
those  of  you  who  surround  so  willingly  the  table  of  the  Lord,  but 
whose  whole  life,  and  walk,  and  conversation,  proclaim  you  to 
be  the  betrayers  of  that  Lord,  and  not  once  lift  up  the  warning 
cry  :  "  Ye  are  not  all  clean.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that 
one  of  you  shall  betray  me." 

Ques. — What  could  be  Christ's  reason  for  so  often  and  so 
solemnly  speaking  of  his  betrayer  ? 

Ans. — I  can  see  no  other  reason  for  it  but  that  he  might  make 
one  last  effort  to  melt  the  heart  of  his  betrayer. 

Doctrine. — Christ  is  earnestly  seeking  the  salvation  of  those 
unconverted  persons  who  sit  down  at  his  table. 

There  are  two  arguments  running  through  the  whole  of  this 
scene  by  means  of  which  Jesus  tried  to  melt  the  betrayer.  \st, 
His  perfect  knowledge  of  him.  As  if  he  had  said  :  I  know  thee, 
Judas  ;  I  know  thy  whole  life  and  history ;  I  know  that  thou  hast 
always  been  a  thief  and  a  traitor  ;  I  know  that  thou  hast  sold  me 
for  thirty  pieces  of  silver ;  I  know  all  thy  plans  and  all  thy  crimeq: 
In  this  way  he  tried  to  awaken  the  traitor,  to  make  him  feel 
himself  a  lost  sinner.  2d,  His  anxious  love  for  him.  As  if  he 
had  said,  I  love  thee,  Judas  ;  I  have  left  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
just  for  lost  sinners  like  thee ;  I  pitied  thee  before  the  world  was; 
I  am  quite  willing  still  to  be  a  Saviour  to  thee.  In  this  way  he 
tried  to  win  the  traitor,  to  draw  him  to  himself. 

1.  All  the  Saviour's  dealings  with  Judas  were  intended  to  con- 
vince him  that  he  knew  his  whole  heart :  "  I  know  thee,  Judas, 
and  all  thy  crimes." 

\.  This  was  plainly  his  intention  when  washing  the  disciples' 
feet,  and  telling  them,  that  if  they  be  bathed  in  his  blood,  they 
need  nothing  more  than  to  have  their  feet  washed,  their  daily 
sins  wiped  off  daily :  "  Ye  are  clean  every  whit."  He  then  adds, 
but  "  Ye  are  not  all  clean."  This  was  evidently  intended  as  a  hint 
to  Judas,  to  awaken  his  guilty  conscience. 

2.  And  then,  when  he  had  sat  down  again  to  partake  of  the 
passover  with  them,  and  had  sent  round  the  cup  of  the  passover, 
saying,  as  we  are  told  in  Luke,  "  Take  this,  and  divide  it  among 
yourselves,"  he  would  not  let  Judas  slumber,  as  if  he  were  un- 
known to  him  ;  but  declares  more  plainly  than  before,  "  I  know 
whom  I  have  chosen ;  but  that  the  Scripture  may  be  fulfilled,  He 
that  eateth  bread  with  me  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against  me." 
This  was  evidently  intended  as  a  plainer  intimation  to  Judas,  that, 
however  concealed  he  might  be  to  others,  he  was  naked  and  laid 
open  to  the  eyes  of  the  Saviour,  with  whom  he  had  to  do. 


196  SERMON   XXXII. 

3.  And,  thirdly,  when  he  was  about  to  put  the  bread  and  wine 
into  their  hands,  to  institute  the  holy  ordinance  of  the  supper,  he 
would  not  do  it  without  a  still  more  convincing  proof  to  the  con- 
science of  Judas  that  he  knew  him  perfectly,  "  As  they  did  eat, 
he  said,  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me  : 
and  they  were  exceeding  sorrowful,  and  began  every  one  of 
them  to  say  unto  him,  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  And  he  answered.  He  it 
is  that  dippeth  his  hand  with  me  in  the  dish  ;  he  it  is  that  betrayeth 
me.  And  .Tudas  answered  and  said.  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  He  said  unto 
him,  Thou  hast  said."  Here  we  find  the  Saviour  no  longer  deals 
in  hints  and  intimations,  but  tells  him  plainly  he  is  the  man. 
Oh !  my  friends,  if  we  did  not  know  the  deceitfulness  of  the 
natural  heart,  how  it  evades  the  most  pointed  declarations  of  the 
Word,  we  would  be  amazed  that  the  heart  of  Judas  was  not 
overwhelmed  with  the  conviction,  "  Thou,  Lord,  seest  me."  But 
no ;  the  arrows  of  the  Saviour,  so  faithfully  directed,  yet  strike 
off  from  his  heart  as  from  a  flinty  rock,  and  Judas  still  sits  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  still  secure,  to  receive  with  his  bloody  hands 
(those  hands  which  had  so  lately  received  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver, 
the  price  of  blood)  the  symbols  of  the  Saviour's  broken  body,  which 
he  himself  was  to  betray.  Ah !  my  friends,  are  there  no  hearts 
here  like  Judas',  from  which  the  plainest  arrows  of  conviction, 
having  written  on  them,  "  Thou  art  the  man,"  glance  off,  without 
even  wounding  ?  Are  there  none  of  you  who  sit,  Judas-like,  with 
unclean  hands  to  receive  the  memorials  of  the  Saviour  whom  you 
are  betraying  ? 

4.  And,  last  of  all,  when  the  feast  of  love  was  over,  when  Ju- 
das, with  unaffected  conscience,  had  swallowed  down  the  bread 
and  wine,  whose  sacred  meaning  he  did  not,  and  could  not,  know  ; 
Jesus,  deeply  affected,  "  being  troubled  in  spirit,"  made  one  last 
effort,  more  pointed  than  all  that  went  before,  to  thrust  the  arrow 
of  conviction  into  the  heart  of  Judas.  When  the  beloved  John, 
lying  on  Jesus'  breast,  saith  unto  him  :  *'  Lord,  who  is  it?  Jesus 
answered,  He  it  is  to  whom  I  shall  give  a  sop  when  I  have  dipped 
it.  And  when  he  had  dipped  the  sop,  he  gave  it"  (unseen,  it 
would  appear,  by  all  the  rest)  "  to  Judas  Iscariot,  the  son  of  Simon. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  That  thou  doest,  do  quickly."  That  this 
pointed  word  of  the  Lord  was  intended  to  awaken  Judas,  and  for 
no  other  reason,  is  plain  from  the  fact  that  "  no  man  at  the  table 
knew  for  what  intent  he  spake  this  unto  him.  For  some  of  them 
thought,  because  Judas  had  the  bag,  that  Jesus  had  said  unto  him, 
Buy  those  things  that  we  have  need  of  against  the  feast ;  or,  that 
he  should  give  something  to  the  poor."  So  secretly,  but  so  power- 
fully, did  the  Saviour  seek  to  awaken  the  slumbering  conscience 
of  the  traitor.  How  was  it  possible  he  could  miss  the  conviction 
that  Christ  knew  all  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  his  heart  ?  how 
did  he  not  fall  down  and  confess  that  God  was  in  him  of  a  truth  ; 
or,  like  the  Samaritan  woman  :  "  Come,  see  a  man  that  told  me 


SERMON    XXXII.  197 

all  things  that  ever  I  did.  Is  not  this  the  Christ  ?"  But  Satan  had 
his  dark,  mysterious  hold  upon  him ;  and  not  more  dark  was  the 
gloomy  night  which  met  his  eyes  as  he  issued  forth  upon  his  mur- 
derous errand,  than  was  the  dark  night  within  his  traitorous  breast. 
Now,  brethren,  the  same  Saviour  is  this  day  in  the  midst  of  us. 
He  walks  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks,  his  eyes 
are  like  a  flame  of  fire,  and  he  searcheth  the  reins  and  the  hearts. 
Think  of  this,  you  that  are  open  sinners,  and  yet  dare  to  sit  down 
at  the  table  of  Christ — swearers,  drunkards.  Sabbath-breakers,  un- 
clean. Ministers  and  elders  may  not  know  your  sins :  they  are 
weak  and  short-sighted  men.  Your  very  neighbors  may  not 
know  your  sins  ;  you  may  hide  them  from  your  own  family.  It  is 
easy  to  deceive  man ;  but  to  deceive  Christ  is  impossible.  He 
knows  your  whole  history  ;  he  is  present  at  every  act  of  dishonesty, 
of  filthiness,  of  folly.  The  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike 
to  him.  Think  of  this,  you  that  live  in  heart  sins,  rolling  sin  be- 
neath your  tongue  as  a  sweet  morsel ;  you  that  put  on  the  outward 
cloak  of  seriousness  and  sobriety,  that  you  may  jostle  and  sit 
down  among  the  children  of  God ;  you  that  have  the  speech  of 
Canaan  in  your  lips,  but  hatred  and  malice,  and  the  very  breath  of 
hell  in  your  hearts ;  you  that  have  the  clothing  of  sheep,  but  in- 
wardly are  ravening  wolves  :  you  that  are  whited  sepulchres, 
beautiful  without,  but  witliin  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  all  un- 
cleanness.  Think  of  this,  you  that  know  yourselves  unconverted, 
and  yet  have  dared  to  sit  down  at  the  table  of  Christ.  Christ 
knows  you,  Christ  could  point  to  you,  Christ  could  name  you, 
Christ  could  give  the  sop  to  you.  You  may  be  hidden  to  all  the 
world,  but  you  are  naked  and  open  to  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom 
you  have  to  do.  Oh  !  that  you  would  fall  down  beneath  his  pierc- 
ing glance,  and  say :  "  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner  !"  Oh ! 
that  every  one  of  you  would  say :  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?" 

II.  The  second  argument  which  Christ  made  use  of  to  melt  and 
win  the  heart  of  Judas  was  his  love  :  I  have  loved  thee,  Judas, 
and  came  to  save  thee. 

1.  This  was  plainly  his  intention  when  washing  the  disciples' 
feet.  He  did  not  shrink  from  the  traitor's  feet ;  yes,  he  not  only 
stooped  to  wash  the  feet  of  those  who  were  to  forsake  him  and 
flee ;  he  not  only  washed  the  feet  of  Peter,  who  was,  before  cock- 
crow, to  deny  him  with  oaths  and  curses ;  but  he  washed  also  the 
feet  of  Judas,  the  very  feet  which  had  gone,  two  days  before,  to 
the  meeting  of  priests  in  Caiaphas'  palace,  where  he  sold  the  Sa- 
viour for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  value  of  a  slave ;  and  it  was 
in  his  hearing  he  spoke  the  gentle  words :  "  If  I  wash  thee  not, 
thou  hast  no  part  with  me."  If,  then,  the  Saviour's  washing  the 
feet  of  the  eleven  was  so  blessed  a  proof  of  his  tenderness  to  his 
own  disciples,  hew  much  more  is  his  washing  the  feet  of  him  who 
(he  knew)  had  betrayed  him  a  proof  of  his  love  to  sinners,  even 


198  SERMON    XXXII. 

the  chief!  He  willed  not  the  death  of  Judas,  he  wills  not  the  death 
of  any  one  of  you.  You  think  that,  because  you  have  betrayed 
the  Saviour,  and  come  to  the  feast  without  any  warrant  or  title, 
an  unbidden  intruder,  therefore  Jesus  cannot  love  you.  Alas ! 
this  shows  your  own  heart,  but  not  Christ's  heart.  Behold  Jesus 
washing  the  feet  of  Judas,  and  wiping  them  with  the  towel  where- 
with he  was  girded  ;  behold  his  anxiety  to  awaken  and  to  win  the 
heart  of  the  traitor  Judas  ;  and  then  think  how,  the  more  you  are 
a  traitor  and  a  betrayer,  the  more  doth  Jesus  pity  you,  and  wait 
upon  you,  willing  still  to  wash  and  to  save  you,  saying :  "  Tul'n 
ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  V 

2.  The  second  instance  of  Jesus'  love  to  the  traitor  is,  when  he 
had  sat  down  again,  and  was  eating  the  passover  along  with  the 
twelve,  he  did  not    shrink  from  eating   meat  with  the   traitor. 
Yes ;   he   not    only   sat   down    to    eat    with    the   eleven    who 
were    to    forsake  him   and  flee,    he    not  only   allowed  John   to 
recline  on  his  bosom,  and  Peter  to  sit  at  the  table,  but  he  suffered 
Judas  to  dip  his  hand  in  the  very  same  dish  with  him,  even  when 
he  knew  that  he  was  fulfilling  that  prophecy  which  is  written  : 
*'  He  that  eateth  bread  with  me,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against 
me."     It  was  a  blessed  proof  of  the  Saviour's  love  to  his  believ- 
ing disciples,  as   is   recorded    by  Luke,  when  he  said  :  "  With 
desire  have  I  desired  to  eat  this  passover  with  you  before  I  suf- 
fer."    One  would  have  thought  that  to  the  eye  of  the  Saviour  this 
passover  must  have  appeared  covered  with  threatening  clouds, 
involved  in  the  deep  gloom  of  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  and 
the  bloody  cross  from  which  the  sun  himself  hid  his  beams.     You 
always  find,  that  when  you  are  in  immediate  expectation  of  some 
calamity,  it   renders   gloomy  and    uninviting  every  event    that 
bespeaks  its  near  approach.     You  would  have  thought,  then,  that 
the  human  soul  of  Jesus  must  have  shrunk  back  from  this  pass- 
over  with  horror.     But  no  ;   he  felt  the  shrinking  of  humanity 
which  more  plainly  showed  itself  in  the  garden,  but  his  love  for 
his  own  disciples  was  stronger  than  all  beside,  and  made  him  look 
forward  to  this  passover,  when  he  was  to  picture  out  to  them  his 
dying  love  more  clearly  than  ever,  with  intense  desire  :  "  With 
desire  have  I  desired  to  eat  this  passover  with  you  before  1  suf- 
fer."    But  how  much  more  wonderful  is  the  proof  of  the  Saviour's 
love  to  the  unbelieving,  to  those  who  care  not  for  him,  but  are  his 
betrayers  and  murderers — when,  With   such  divine  complacency, 
he  dips  his  hand  in  the  same  dish  with  Judas,  and  tells  him,  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  does  it  not  through  ignorance,  but  that  the 
prophecy   might  be  fulfilled  :    "  He  that  eateth  bread  with  me, 
hath  lifted  up  the  heel  against  me." 

Ah  !  my  unbelieving  friends,  I  know  well  the  dark  suspicions 
that  lurk  in  your  bosoms.  Because  you  have  done  everything 
against  Christ,  you  think  that  he  cannot  have  any  love  for  you; 
but  behold,  dark  and  proud  sinners,  how  lovingly,  how  tenderly, 


SERMON    XXXII.  199 

he  tries,  if  it  may  be,  to  awaken  and  to  win  over  the  heart  of 
Judas  !  and  then  think  how  anxious  he  is  this  day  to  win  and 
awaken  you,  though  you  are  of  sinners  the  chief,  to  bow  that 
brazen  neck,  to  break  that  heart  of  adamant,  to  wring  a  tear  from 
those  eyes  that  never  wept  for  sin. 

3.  The  tliird  instance  of  Jesus'  love  to  the  traitor  is,  his  faith- 
ful declaration  of  his  danger  to  him :  "  The  Son  of  Man  goeth, 
as  it  is  written  of  him  ;  but  woe  unto  that  man  by  whom  the 
Son  of  Man  is  betrayed !  It  had  been  good  for  that  man  if 
he  had  never  been  born."  In  the  two  former  instances  Jesus 
had  shown  his  love,  by  showing  how  willing  he  was  to  save  him 
to  the  very  uttermost,  that  he  would  bear  all  things  to  save 
him  ;  but  now  he  uses  another  way,  he  shows  him  the  terror  of 
the  Lord,  that  if  he  will  persist,  "  it  had  been  good  for  him  that 
he  had  not  been  born."  As  a  mother,  when  she  wishes  her  child 
to  take  some  wholesome  medicine,  first  wins  upon  its  love,  and 
then,  if  that  will  not  do,  tries  to  win  upon  its  fears  ;  with  the 
same  more  than  mother's  tenderness  did  Jesus  first  try  to  win 
upon  the  afiections,  aiid  now  upon  the  fears  of  Judas.  And  he  is 
the  same  Saviour  this  day  in  the  upper  chambers  of  the  universe 
that  he  was  that  night  in  the  upper  chamber  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  he 
sends  his  messengers  to  you  to  carry  the  same  messages  of  kirui- 
ness  and  of  love.  It  is  only  in  love  that  he  threatens  you.  And, 
oh  !  that  in  love  we  might  speak  the  threatening  to  you,  that  if 
you  have  no  part  in  Jesus,  and  yet,  by  sitting  down  at  his  table, 
are  becoming  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  it  were 
better  for  you  that  you  had  not  been  boi'n.  It  is  a  happy  thing  to 
live  ;  there  is  a  blessedness  which  cannot  be  expressed  in  having 
hfe.  The  fly  that  lives  but  for  a  day,  the  veriest  worm  or  insect 
that  crawls  upon  the  ground,  has  an  amount  of  blessedness  in 
the  very  fact  that  it  lives,  which  it  is  far  beyond  the  skill  of 
man  to  calculate.  To  breathe,  to  move,  to  feel  the  morning 
sun  and  the  evening  breeze,  to  look  out  upon  the  green  world 
and  the  blue  sky ;  all  this  is  happiness  immense,  immeasurable. 
It  never  can  be  said  of  a  fly  or  worm,  that  it  had  better  never 
been  born ;  but,  alas  !  it  may  be  said  of  some  of  you :  If  you 
are  living,  but  not  living  united  to  Christ,  if  you  are  sitting  at 
the  table  of  Christ  and  yet  unconverted,  it  had  been  good  for 
you  that  you  had  not  been  born.  Ah  !  my  friends,  there  was 
once  a  heathen  man  who  always  wept,  and  got  the  name  of 
the  Weeping  Philosopher.  One  would  almost  think  that  he  had 
known  this  truth  which  we  preach  unto  you,  that  if  that  union 
which  you  make  with  the  bread  and  wine  at  the  holy  table  be 
not  a  picture  and  a  seal  of  the  union  between  your  soul  and  the 
Saviour  of  sinners,  you  had  far  better  never  have  been  born. 
Better  not  to  be,  than  to  be  only  in  hell.  "  They  shall  wish  to 
die,  and  shall  not  be  able  ;  they  shall  seek  to  die,  and  death  shall 
flee  from  them." 


200  SERMON    XXXII. 

4.  The  fourth  and  last  instance  of  Jesus'  love  to  the  traitor  is 
the  most  touching  of  all.  After  the  supper  was  over,  Jesus  was 
troubled  in  spirit,  and  testified  and  said :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me."  It  was  but  a  few 
days  before  that  he  came  riding  down  the  declivity  of  Mount 
Olivet  upon  an  ass's  colt ;  and  his  disciples,  behind  and  before, 
were  all  rejoicing  and  praising  God,  crying  "  Hosanna  !"  and  Jesus 
— what  was  he  doing  1  He  was  weeping :  "  When  he  came  near, 
he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying.  If  thou  hadst  known, 
even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  belong  unto  thy 
peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  He  wept  over 
the  very  city  which  he  doomed  to  destruction.  And  just  so  here  ; 
when  his  disciples  on  every  hand  were  filled  with  a  holy  joy,  and 
John  most  of  all  rejoicing,  for  he  lay  in  the  bosom  of  Immanuel, 
what  was  Christ  doing — the  author  of  all  their  joy?  He  was 
heavy  and  troubled  in  spirit.  He  was  always  the  man  of  sorrows, 
and  acquainted  with  grief,  but  now  a  ruffle  of  deeper  sorrow 
came  over  the  placid  calm  of  his  holy  features :  he  was  troubled 
in  spirit,  and  said :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  One  of  you 
shall  betray  me."  He  had  tried  all  arguments  to  move  his 
betrayer ;  he  had  unbosomed  the  tenderness  of  his  love ;  he  had 
shown  the  dreadfulness  of  his  anger ;  but  when  he  saw  that  all 
would  not  do  to  move  his  hard  heart,  when  he  saw  the  heartless 
unconcern  with  which  Judas  could  swallow  down  the  bread,  and 
share  in  the  blessed  cup,  the  spirit  of  the  Saviour  sank  within  him; 
and  the  last  effort  of  his  love  to  awaken  the  impenitent  murderer 
was,  to  unbosom  the  depth  of  his  sorrows,  and  to  breathe  out, 
with  many  sighs,  the  words :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that 
one  of  you  shall  betray  me." 

My  friends,  there  may  be  some  within  these  walls  with  a  heart 
as  hard  as  that  of  Judas.  Like  Judas,  you  are  about  to  partake 
of  the  most  moving  ordinance  the  world  ever  saw ;  like  Judas, 
you  may  eat  of  the  bread  and  drink  of  the  wine ;  and  like  Judas, 
your  heart  may  grow  harder,  and  your  life  more  sinful  than  ever. 
And  you  think,  then,  that  Jesus  is  your  enemy  1  But  what  does 
the  Bible  say  ?  Look  here  ;  he  is  troubled  in  spirit ;  he  weeps,  as 
he  did  over  Jerusalem.  Yes ;  he  that  once  shed  his  blood  for 
you,  now  sheds  his  tears  for  you.  Immanuel  grieves  that  you 
will  not  be  saved.  He  grieved  over  Judas,  and  he  grieves  over 
you.  He  wept  over  Jerusalem,  and  he  weeps  over  you.  He  has 
no  pleasui'e  that  you  should  perish ;  he  had  far  rather  that  you 
would  turn  and  have  life.  There  is  not  within  these  walls  one  of 
you  so  hard,  so  cruel,  so  base,  so  unmoved,  so  far  from  grace  and 
godliness,  so  Judas-like,  that  Jesus  does  not  grieve  over  your 
hardness  ;  that  you  will  still  resist  all  his  love ;  that  you  will  still 
love  death,  and  wrong  your  own  souls.  Oh !  that  the  tears  which 
the  Saviour  shed  over  your  lost  and  perishing  souls  might  fall 
upon  your  hearts  like  drops  of  liquid  fire ;  that  you  might  no  more 


SERMON    XXXIII.  201 

sit  unmelted  under  that  wondrous  love  which  burns  with  so 
vehement  a  flame,  which  many  waters  cannot  quench,  which  all 
your  sins  cannot  smother,  the  love  which  passeth  knowledge. 
Amen. 

Larbert,  Aug.,  1836. 


SERMON  XXXIII. 

I  THE  LORD  HAVE  CALLED  THEE  IN  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"  Thus  saith  God  the  Lord,  he  that  created  the  heavens,  and  stretched  them  out ; 
he  that  spread  forth  the  earth,  and  that  which  cometh  out  of  it ;  he  that  giveth 
breath  unto  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to  them  that  walk  therein  :  I  the 
Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  will  hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep 
thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles  ;  to 
open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prisoners  from  the  prison,  and  them  that 
sit  in  darkness  out  of  the  prison-house.  I  am  the  Lord  ;  that  is  my  name  :  and 
my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another,  neither  my  praise  to  graven  images." — 
Isa.  xlii.,  5-8. 

In  this  passage  we  have  some  of  the  most  wonderful  words  that 
ever  were  uttered  in  the  world.  It  is  not  a  man  speaking  to  a 
man,  it  is  not  even  God  speaking  to  a  man,  it  is  God  speaking  to 
his  own  Son.  Oh  !  who  would  not  listen  ?  It  is  as  if  we  were 
secretly  admitted  into  the  counsel  of  God — as  if  we  stood  behind 
the  curtains  of  his  dwelling-place,  or  were  hidden  in  the  clefts  of 
the  rock,  and  overheard  the  words  of  the  Eternal  Father  to  the 
Eternal  Son.  Now,  sometimes  when  you  overbear  a  conversa- 
tion on  earth,  between  two  poor,  perishing  worms,  you  think  it  is 
worth  treasuring  up — you  remember  what  they  said — you  repeat 
it  over  and  over  again.  Oh  !  then,  when  you  overhear  a  conver- 
sation in  heaven — when  God  the  Father  speaks,  and  God  the  Son 
stands  to  receive  his  words,  will  you  not  listen  ?  will  you  not  lay 
up  these  sayings  in  your  heart  ? 

God  tells  the  Son  :  1.  That  he  had  called  him  to  his  service — 
had  passed  over  all  his  angels,  and  chosen  him  for  this  difficult 
work.  2.  He  tells  him  that  he  is  not  to  shrink  from  the  difficulties 
of  it.  There  is  an  ocean  of  wrath  to  wade  through,  but  fear  not ; 
I  will  hold  thee  by  the  hand — I  will  keep  thee.  3.  He  tells  him 
that  he  must  be  given  as  a  covenant  Saviour.  However  dear  to 
his  heart,  still,  says  God,  "  I  will  give  thee."  4.  He  encourages 
him  by  the  great  benefit  to  be  gained — that  he  would  be  a  light  to 
whole  nations  of  poor,  blind,  captive  sinners.  5.  That  in  all  this 
he  would  have  his  glory  :  "  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another, 
nor  my  praise  to  graven  images." 

Doctrine. — God  has  provided  the  Saviour,  and  alone  can  reveal 
him ;  and  he  will  keep  this  glory  to  himself. 


202  SERMON    XXXIII. 

I.  God  provided  the  Saviour. — He  soys  here  :  •*  I  have  called 
thee  in  righteousnesss."  The  meaning  is  :  I  have  called  thee  to 
do  this  work  of  righteousness — to  work  out  this  salvation,  which 
shall  show  me  to  be  a  righteous  God.  God  did,  as  it  were,  look 
round  all  the  creatures,  to  see  whom  he  would  call  to  this  great 
work,  of  being  a  Saviour  of  lost  sinners.  He  looked  upon  the 
earth,  through  all  its  families  ;  but  there  was  none  that  understood, 
there  was  none  that  did  seek  God.  Every  man  had  his  own  curse 
to  bear ;  no  man  could  give  a  ransom  for  the  soul  of  his  brother, 
for  the  ransom  of  the  soul  was  precious.  He  looked  round  all  the 
blooming  angels,  as  if  to  say,  Who  will  go  for  me  ?  Seraphim 
and  Cherubim  all  stood,  veiling  their  faces  with  their  wings  ;  but 
he  saw  that  none  of  them  could  bear  infinite  wrath.  They  are 
only  creatures  ;  they  would  be  crushed  eternally  under  the  weight 
of  my  wrath.  These  will  not  do.  He  looked  into  his  ownhosom. 
There  was  his  eternal  Son — his  dear  Son — his  well-beloved  Son. 
Oh  !  this  will  do.  I  have  found  a  ransom  ;  I  have  laid  help  on  one 
who  is  mighty.     My  Son,  I  have  called  thee  in  righteousness. 

Learn  how  complete  a  Saviour  Christ  is.  God  did  not  choose 
a  man  to  this  great  work — he  did  not  choose  an  angel ;  he  passed 
by  them  all,  and  chose  his  Son.  Why  ?  Because  he  saw  none 
other  would  be  a  sufficient  Saviour.  If  Christ  had  not  been 
enough,  God  never  would  have  called  him  to  it.  God  knew  well 
the  weight  of  his  own  wrath  ;  and,  therefore,  he  provided  an 
almighty  back  to  bear  it.  Trembling  sinner,  do  not  doubt  the 
completeness  of  Christ.  God  knew  all  your  sins  and  your  wrath 
when  he  chose  Christ — that  they  were  both  infinite  ;  and  therefore 
he  chose  an  almighty,  an  infinite  Saviour.  Oh  !  hide  in  him,  and 
you  are  complete  in  him. 

II.  God  upheld  the  Saviour :  "  I  will  hold  thine  hand,  and  will 
keep  thee."  The  figure  here  seems  taken  from  a  father  and  his 
little  child.  When  a  little  child  has  to  go  over  some  very  rough 
road,  or  to  travel  in  the  darkness,  or  to  wade  through  some  deep 
waters,  he  says  to  his  father  :  I  fear  I  shall  be  lost ;  I  shall  not  be  ' 
able  to  go  through.  Nay,  do  not  fear,  the  father  answers  :  "  I 
will  hold  thine  hand  ;  I  will  keep  thee."  Such  are  the  words  of 
the  Father  to  his  dear  Son.  I  would  not  have  dared  to  have 
imagined  them,  if  I  had  not  found  them  in  the  Bible.  When  God 
called  his  Son  to  the  work,  it  could  not  but  be  a  fearful  work  in 
his  eyes.  Christ  knew  well  the  infinite  number  of  men's  sins  ;  for 
he  is  the  searcher  of  hearts  and  trier  of  reins.  He  knew  also  the 
infinite  weight  of  God's  anger  against  these  sins  ;  he  saw  the  dark 
clouds  of  infinite  vengeance  that  were  ready  to  burst  over  the 
head  of  sinners  ;  he  saw  the  infinite  deluge  of  eternal  wrath  that 
was  to  drown  for  ever  the  guilty  world  ;  and,  oh  !  how  dreadful 
his  Father's  anger  was  in  his  eyes  ;  for  he  had  known  nothing  but 
his  infinite  love  from  all  eternity.     Oh !  how  could  he  bear  to  lie 


SERMON   XXXIII.  203 

down  under  that  wrath  ?  How  could  he  bear  to  exchange  the 
smile  of  his  Father's  love  for  the  dark  power  of  his  Father's 
anger  ?  How  could  he  bear,  for  the  sake  of  vile  sinners,  to  ex- 
change the  caresses  of  that  God  who  is  love,  for  the  piercings  and 
bruisings  of  his  almighty  hand  ?  Surely  the  very  thought  would 
be  agony.  God  here  comforts  his  Son  under  the  view  :  Yon  sea 
of  wrath  is  deep — its  waves  are  dreadful ;  but  "  I  will  hold  thine 
hand  ;  1  will  keep  thee." 

1.  Learn  from  this  how  dreadful  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were. 
He  needed  God  to  hold  his  hand ;  he  was  God  himself;  thought 
it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God ;  he  had  the  Spirit  given  to 
him  without  measure:  "  I  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him  ;"  but  all 
that  would  not  do :  God  the  Father  must  hold  his  hand  too.  Oh  ! 
think  what  a  weight  must  have  been  crushing  and  bruising  the 
Lamb  of  God,  when  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  combined  their 
force  to  hold  him  up.  Oh!  think  what  a  depth  of  agony  must 
have  been  upon  him,  when  he  cried  :  "  What  shall  I  say  i  Father, 
save  me  from  this  hour :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour. 
My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death.  Take  away 
this  cup  from  me  " — and  when  the  Father  answered  him  :  "  I  will 
hold  thine  hand — I  will  keep  thee."  Oh !  my  friends,  this  is  a 
great  deep.  Cry,  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom 
and  knowledge  of  God !  How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments, 
and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" 

2.  Learn  the  greatness  of  your  sins.  Remember  Christ  had  no 
sins  of  his  own  ;  no  wrath  was  due  to  himself;  all  that  wrath  he 
bore  was  ours.  You  that  are  believers,  you  have  but  a  small 
sense  of  the  greatness  of  your  sins.  Oh  !  look  here  ;  see  God 
holding  the  hand  of  his  Son,  while  he  wades  through  that  sea  of 
wrath  !  Oh  !  surely  a  look  at  a  suffering  Christ  should  keep  you 
in  the  dust  for  ever.  You  must  never  open  your  mouth  any 
more.  And,  oh  !  will  you  not  love  him  who  so  loved  you — 
who  lay  down  under  these  surges  and  billows  of  God's  wrath  for 
you? 

You  that  are  unconverted,  see  here  the  dreadful  wrath  that  is 
over  your  souls.  You  think  yonv  sins  are  very  few,  and  God 
will  not  be  very  angry.  This  is  natural ;  all  natural  men  think 
this  ;  and  yet  see  here  how  dreadful  the  wrath  is  that  is  over  you. 
Even  Christ  trembled  and  started  back  when  he  came  to  bear  it ; 
and  how  will  you  do  1  You  are  not  the  Son  of  God  ;  you  have 
no  divinity  within  you,  as  Christ  had  ;  how  will  you  be  able  to 
bear  the  bruisings  and  lashings  of  God's  infinite  anger  ?  You 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  God  given  to  you,  as  Christ  had,  without 
measure  ;  how  will  you  be  able  to  stand  under  the  outpourings  of 
his  eternal  indignation?  You  have  not  God  to  take  you  by  the 
hand.  God  is  not  your  God,  not  your  friend ;  he  has  nowhere 
said  that  he  will  hold  you  by  the  hand  ;  ah  !  how  will  you  wade 
through  an  eternal  and  bottomless  sea  of  wrath  ?     How  will  you 


204  SERMON   XXXIII. 

contend  and  fight  against  the  fiery  billows,  where  there  is  no  crea- 
ture, in  heaven  or  in  earth,  to  hold  you  by  the  hand  ?  Oh  !  my 
friends,  it  is  because  you  are  blind,  that  you  have  no  fears.  Christ 
saw  all  that  is  before  you,  and  it  made  him  tremble  ;  you  do  not 
see  it,  and  therefore  you  do  not  tremble.  You  can  be  happy,  and 
smile,  and  sleep,  and  enjoy  yourselves  ;  but  your  day  of  trembling 
is  at  hand.  Ah  !  woe  is  me  !  how  will  you  stand  upon  the  shore 
of  that  fiery  sea  ?  how  you  will  hang  back,  and  wish  that  you  had 
some  one  to  hold  you  by  the  hand  ;  but  it  will  be  all  in  vain.  Oh  ! 
that  you  were  wise,  that  you  would  remember  your  latter  end, 
that  you  would  consider  this. 

3.  Learn  God's  great  hand  in  Christ's  work.  When  a  father 
guides  his  child  through  some  dark  part  of  the  road,  or  through 
some  rapid  stream,  holding  him  by  the  hand,  this  shows  that  the 
father  is  interested  in  the  journey  of  the  child ;  so,  when  God 
says,  "  I  will  hold  thee  by  the  hand,"  this  shows  that  God  has  a 
great  hand  in  Christ's  work.  In  writing,  if  you  hold  the  child's 
hand,  and  guide  the  pen,  then  you  have  a  great  hand  in  the  writing. 
Just  so  did  God  hold  the  hand  of  the  Saviour.  The  work  is  God's 
as  much  as  Christ's.  Oh  !  that  we  might  give  him  all  the  glory  ! 
Remember,  he  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another. 

III.  God  gave  Christ  for  a  covenant :  "  I  will  give  thee  for  a 
covenant  of  the  people."  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not 
perish."  "  Herein  is  love ;  not  that  we  loved  God."  God  not 
only  provided  the  Saviour,  and  upheld  him,  but  he  gave  him,  gave 
him  away,  to  be  a  covenant  Saviour  of  the  people,  and  a  light  to 
lighten  the  Gentiles.  When  Abraham  bound  his  son  Isaac  upon 
the  altar,  and  lifted  up  the  knife  to  strike,  this  was  giving  away 
his  son  at  the  command  of  God.  This  is  just  what  God  did.  He 
took  his  son  out  of  his  bosom,  and  gave  him  away  to  be  bound,  to 
be  a  covenant  Saviour  of  the  people.  There  are  not  more  won- 
derful words  in  the  whole  Bible  than  these ;  "  /  will  give  thee" 
"  God  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  freely  delivered  him  up  to  the 
death  for  us  all."  The  Son  ivas  infinitely  dear  to  the  Father.  God 
cannot  but  love  that  which  is  perfectly  holy  and  beautiful.  Now, 
such  was  Christ.  From  all  eternity  there  had  been  the  outgoings 
of  love  and  infinite  admiration  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father  to- 
wards his  well-beloved  Son.  Canst  thou  part  with  me  ?  Canst 
thou  give  me  up  to  the  garden  and  the  cross  ?  "  /  loill  give 
thee."  Sinners  were  infinitely  vile  in  the  sight  of  the  Father. 
God  cannot  but  hate  that  which  is  enmity  and  rebellion  to  himself. 
"  He  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity."  How  loathsome 
and  hateful  this  world  must  have  been  in  his  eyes,  where  every 
heart  was  enmity  against  him  !  Canst  thou  give  me  up  for  such 
sinners,  for  the  sake  of  such  vile  worms  !    "  Yes,  /  will  give  thee." 

1.  Learn  the  intense  love  of  God  for  sinners.     He  spared  not 


SERMON  xxxiir.    ■  205 

his  own  Son.  Herein  is  love.  He  loved  the  happiness  of  his 
Son;  but  he  loved  the  salvation  of  sinners  more.  He  loved  to 
have  his  Son  in  his  bosom  ;  but  he  loved  more  to  have  sinners 
brought  into  his  bosom.  He  cast  out  his  Son,  in  order  to  take  us 
in.  Oh  !  sinner,  how  will  you  escape,  if  you  neglect  so  great  a 
salvation  ? 

2.  Learn  that  God  must  have  the  glory  of  this.  He  will  not 
give  his  glory  to  another.  Some  awakened  persons  look  to  God 
as  an  angry,  inexorable  judge ;  but  to  Christ  as  a  smiling  Sa- 
viour, that  comes  between  us  and  an  angry  Father.  Now,  re- 
member, you  will  never  come  to  peace  as  long  as  you  think  this. 
This  is  robbing  God  of  his  glory.  You  must  believe  in  Christ  and 
believe  in  God.  God  wishes  you  to  honor  the  Son  even  as  you 
honor  the  Father  ;  but  not  more  than  you  honor  the  Father.  You 
will  never  come  to  peace  till  you  look  to  Christ  as  the  gift  of  God, 
till  you  see  that  the  heart  of  God  and  Christ  are  one  in  this  matter, 
till  God  open  a  window  in  his  breast,  and  show  you  the  love 
which  provided,  upheld,  and  gave  up  the  Son. 

IV.  God  gave  Christ  for  a  light :  "  I  will  give  thee  for  alight." 
It  is  God  that  causes  the  sun  to  rise  every  morning,  so  that  the 
dark  shades  of  evening  are  scattered  before  him  ;  so  it  is  God  that 
makes  Chinst  rise  upon  the  soul  of  a  sinner. 

1.  By  nature,  men  have  blind  eyes.  They  do  not  know  the 
beauty  of  Christ.  They  read  of  him  in  the  Word,  hear  him 
preached;  talked  of;  they  see  no  form  nor  comeliness  in  him  ;  no 
beauty  that  they  should  desire  him.  They  have  eyes,  but  they 
see  not.  2.  By  nature,  men  are  bound  in  prison.  They  serve 
divers  lusts  and  pleasures  ;  they  are  bound  to  selfishness  and  pride, 
and  luxury,  and  lust ;  these  things  compass  them  about  as  with  a 
chain.  3.  By  nature,  men  sit  in  a  dark  prison-house.  They  are 
bound,  but  do  not  see  that  they  are  bound ;  they  do  not  see  their 
misery  ;  they  sit — they  do  not  strive  to  get  free,  but  sit  contented 
and  happy  in  their  darksome  dungeon.  Oh !  unconverted  souls, 
what  a  picture  this  is  of  your  condition  !  Blind — in  prison — con- 
tented in  the  dark  dungeon.  You  will  say,  I  feel  it  not ;  I  am 
contented  and  happy.  Ah  !  does  not  this  just  show  that  this  word 
is  true :  You  are  blind,  you  do  not  see  your  misery  1  When  a 
blind  man  is  in  darkness,  he  feels  no  pain  from  it.  You  are 
chained ;  you  do  not  struggle  ;  you  sit  still  in  the  prison-house.  I 
have  often  thought  that  your  very  ease  and  contentment  might 
awaken  you  to  think  that  all  is  not  right, 

Now,  learn,  how  a  change  comes  :  "  I  will  give  thee  for  a  light 
of  the  Gentiles."  It  is  all  the  gift  of  God.  Oh  !  I  fear,  we  little 
understand  this.  There  is  much  robbing  God  of  his  glory,  even 
among  Christians.  When  God  causes  the  sun  to  rise,  then  nothing 
can  make  darkness.  The  mists  and  fogs  cannot  keep  back  the 
beams  of  the  sun ;  so,  when  God  causes  Christ  to  rise  on  the  soul 


206  SERMON    XXXIV.  ^ 

then  there  is  light.     Revealing  Christ  does  the  whole  work  for  the 
soul.     It  awakens,  it  wins,  it  draws,  it  makes  free,  it  makes  holy. 

Ques.  Has  Christ  been  made  to  rise  upon  your  soul?  Knot, 
then  you  are  still  blind,  still  in  chains,  and  in  the  dark  dungeon ; 
you  have  neither  peace  nor  holiness.  Oh  !  seek  it  from  God  ;  cry 
to  him,  that  Christ  may  give  you  light. 

But,  if  Christ  has  been  made  to  rise  on  your  soul,  happy  are 
you.  You  were  sometime  darkness,  but  now  you  are  light  in  the 
Lord.  Walk  as  children  of  the  light.  Now,  see  who  did  it,  and 
give  him  the  praise.  It  is  the  Lord.  God  gave  Christ  to  be  a 
light  to  thy  soul.  Give  him,  and  him  alone,  the  glory.  "  My 
glory  I  will  not  give  to  another."  1.  Do  not  give  the  praise  to 
yourself;  do  not  say,  My  own  wisdom  or  my  own  prayers  have 
gotten  me  this.  It  was  all  undeserved  mercy  to  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners. "  My  glory  I  will  not  give  to  another.  2.  Do  not  give  the 
glory  to  ministers.  They  are  often  the  instruments  of  bringing 
souls  to  Christ,  but  they  cannot  make  Christ  arise  on  the  soul, 
any  more  than  they  can  make  the  sun  to  rise  on  the  earth. 
We  can  point  to  the  sun,  though  we  cannot  make  it  rise  ;  so, 
we  can  point  you  to  Christ,  but  cannot  make  him  rise  on  your  soul. 
The  Work  is  God's,  and  he  will  have  the  glory.  I  believe  the 
work  is  greatly  hindered  amongst  us  from  the  cause  mentioned. 

Last.  Plead  with  God  to  fulfil  his  word,  that  Christ  may  be  a 
light  to  the  nations.  It  is  as  easy  with  God  to  make  Christ  rise  on 
many  souls  as  upon  one.  Show  him  that  it  is  for  his  glory  that  a 
nation  be  born  in  a  day.  Give  him  no  rest  till  he  pour  down  the 
Spirit  on  all  our  families,  till  there  be  a  great  looking  unto  Jesus,  and 
rejoicing  in  him.  Take  thine  own  glory,  O  Lord,  give  it  to  no 
other  ;  neither  thy  praise  to  graven  images. 

St.  Peter's,  Jan.  7, 1838. 


SERMON   XXXIV. 


RETURN    UNTO    ME. 


"  Remember  these,  0  Jacob  and  Israel ;  for  thou  art  my  servant :  I  have  formed 
thee ;  thou  art  my  servant :  0  Israel,  thou  shalt  not  be  forgotten  of  me.  I 
have  blotted  out,  as  a  thick  cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and,  as  a  cloud,  thy  sins : 
return  unto  me  ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee." — Isa.  xliv.,  21,  22. 

In  these  words  God  contrasts  the  happy  condition  of  his  chosen 
people  with  that  of  the  poor  blind  idolaters  whom  he  had  been 
describing  in  the  verses  before.  Ah  !  my  friends,  to  the  eye  of 
man,  there  may  be  little  diflerence  between  the  children  of  the 
wicked  one  and  the  children  of  God  ;  but,  to  the  eye  of  God,  they 
are  as  different  as  the  chaff  from  the  wheat,  as  the  lily  from  the 


SERMON    XXXIV.  207 

thorn.  Of  you  that  are  Christless,  God  says,  "  He  feedeth  on 
ashes"  (verse  20)  ;  but  to  you  that  are  his  children, "  Remember 
these,  O  Jacob."  May  God  open  our  eyes  to  see  wonders  out  of 
this  Scripture  ! 

I.  All  that  have  come  to  Christ  are  forgiven  :  "  I  have  blotted 
out." — Verse  22. 

1.  Observe  the  completeness  of  their  forgiveness :  "  I  have  blotted 
out  as  a  thick  cloud."  This  complete  forgiveness  is  many  ways 
showed  forth  in  the  Bible.  1^^,  It  is  compared  to  the  change 
produced  on  clothes  by  washing  or  dyeing  them  :  "  Though  thy 
sins  be  as  scarlet,  yet  shall  they  be  white  as  snow"  (Isa.  i.,  18) ; 
and  again,  "  Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  blood."  2c?,  Again,  to  something  covered  over: 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  sin 
is  covered."  And  Jesus  says,  "  Buy  of  me  white  raiment,  that 
thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do 
not  appear."  3d,  Again,  it  is  compared  to  something  lost.  He- 
zekiah  says,  "  Thou  hast  cast  all  my  sins  behind  thy  back  ;"  Micah, 
"  Thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea."  But 
still  they  may  be  near  at  hand  ?  No  :  "  As  far  as  east  is  distant 
from  the  west." — Ps.  ciii.,  12.  But  if  God  were  to  seek  for  them  ? 
"In  those  days,  and  in  that  time,  shall  the  iniquity  of  Israel  be 
sought  for,  and  there  shall  be  none ;  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and 
they  shall  not  be  found." — Jer.  1.,  20.  4th,  To  something  for- 
gotten :  "  Thy  sins  and  thine  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more." 
"  All  his  transgressions  that  he  hath  done,  they  shall  not  be  men- 
tioned unto  him."  5th,  To  something  blotted  out.  Although 
they  be  washed,  covered,  lost,  forgotten,  yet  they  will  still  remain 
in  God's  record,  yes,  they  will ;  but  how  ? — Blotted  out. 

Any  of  you  that  believe  in  Jesus,  do  you  take  the  Son  of  God 
as  your  Surety  ?  Take  this  word  to  yourself  See  what  the  page 
will  be  like  on  which  thy  sins  are  written.  It  will  be  one  great 
blot ;  one  thick  cloud.  When  you  look  on  the  clouds,  can  you 
read  anything  written  there  ? — no  more  can  God  read  any  of  thy 
sins,  O  believer  in  Jesus. 

2.  Observe,  it  is  present  forgiveness.  It  is  not,  I  will  blot  out ; 
but,  "  I  have  blotted  out."  Some  say,  I  hope  God  will  forgive  me. 
Ah  !  my  friends,  you  greatly  mistake  the  Bible  :  a  present  forgive- 
ness is  offered  to  you.  The  moment  a  soul  closes  with  Christ, 
that  moment  is  this  word  true  of  him  :  "  I  have  blotted  out." 
"  There  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

Ques.  Has  God  blotted  out  your  sins?  1st,  Most  say  I  don't 
know  ;  I  never  inquired.  Oh  !  sinner,  if  you  never  inquired,  then 
I  will  answer  for  you ;  There  is  not  one  of  them  blotted  out. 
Every  evil  thought,  and  word,  and  deed  you  have  done,  is  written 
against  you ;  you  will  meet  them  all  another  day.    A  deceived 


208  SERMON   XXXIV. 

heart  hath  tarned  thee  aside,  and  thou  dost  not  know  that  there  is 
a  lie  in  thy  right  hand,  2d,  Some  say,  It  is  impossible  to  tell ;  I 
never  savi^  the  book  of  God's  remembrance ;  hov\^  can  1  tell  ? 
True,  you  never  saw  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  and  yet 
there  is  another  book,  and  if  you  would  search  it  much,  and  be- 
lieve the  word  concerning  Jesus,  you  would  come  to  know  that 
you  are  forgiven.  Oh,  yes  !  it  is  quite  possible.  David  tasted  it, 
and  thousands  since  David  have  blessed  God  for  forgiving  all  their 
iniquities.  The  woman  that  touched  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment 
felt  in  herself  that  she  was  made  whole.  She  was  no  physician, 
and  yet  she  knew  that  she  was  well.  When  a  man  has  a  burden 
on  his  back,  if  you  lift  it  off",  he  knows  it  at  once  ;  so  does  the  heavy 
laden  soul  that  comes  to  Jesus,  he  finds  rest. 

3.  Observe  who  blots  :  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions." — Isa.  xliii.,  25.  Ist,  Some  try  to  blot  out  their  own 
sins ;  I  will  be  grieved,  and  sorry  for  my  sins,  says  one.  I  will 
blot  them  out  with  tears,  I  will  pray  to  God,  and  cover  my  past 
sins  with  my  earnest  prayers,  says  another.  I  will  mend  my  life 
and  cover  my  naked  soul  with  good  deeds,  says  another.  But  no  ; 
this  is  all  vain  ;  God  alone  can  blot  out.  Either  he  will  do  it,  or 
it  will  not  be  done :  "  I,  even  I,  am  he."  2d,  Some  hope  that 
Christ  will  blot  out  their  sins,  unknown  to  the  Father.  They  think 
that  Christ  is  very  willing  to  be  a  Saviour,  but  not  so  the  Father. 
But  no  ;  Christ  and  the  Father  are  one.  If  you  come  to  Christ, 
God  himself  will  do  it,  and  will  tell  you, "  I  have  done  it." 

Speak  to  unforgiven  souls :  Unhappy  man  !  You  have  many 
pleasures  and  many  friends ;  but  one  thing  you  want — the  forgive- 
ness of  sins.  Do  you  think  you  would  not  be  happier,  lighter  in 
heart,  if  you  were  forgiven  1  Oh !  how  miserable  are  all  your 
daily  employments  and  pleasures,  when  you  know  that  hell  is  open- 
ing its  mouth  for  you.  God  has  never  blotted  out  your  sins  ;  yet 
you  might  be  forgiven :  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call ;  and  my  words 
are  to  the  sons  of  men."  Come  to  Christ,  and  God  will  abun- 
dantly pardon. 

II.  All  that  have  come  to  Christ  are  God's  servants.  "  Thou  art 
my  servant,  thou  art  my  servant."  Two  reasons  are  given  :  1.  "  I 
have  redeemed  thee ;"  2.  "  I  have  formed  thee."  \st,  Because 
redeemed.  When  a  man  consents  that  Christ  shall  be  his  Surety, 
he  feels  that  he  is  not  his  own,  but  bought  with  a  price.  vSo  David 
felt :  "  Truly  I  am  thy  servant ;  I  am  thy  servant,  and  the  son  of 
thine  handmaid  :  thou  hast  loosed  my  bonds."  So  Paul  felt,  when 
he  lay  gasping  on  the  ground  :  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do  ?"  Before  conversion,  the  unconverted  thinks  that  he  is  his 
own  :  May  I  not  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?  He  was  the 
willing  slave  of  the  devil.  But  when  he  sees  the  price  laid  down 
for  him,  he  feels  that  the  Lord  has  redeemed  him  out  of  the  house 
of  bondage.     Now  he  says,  I  am  the  Lord's.     Now  he  is  more 


SERMON    XXXIV.  209 

the  servant  of  the  Lord  than  ever  he  was  of  the  devil.  Oh  !  dear 
Christians,  would  that  I  could  see  more  of  this  among  you,  a  de- 
voting of  yourselves  unto  the  Lord ;  "  for  thou  art  my  servant ; 
thou  art  my  servant."  2c?,  Because  formed  by  God :  "  I  made 
thee,  and  formed  thee  from  the  womb." — Isa.  xliv.,  2.  The  whole 
work  of  grace  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  wondrous  in  our  eyes. 
Paul  says :  "  It  pleased  the  Lord,  who  separated  me  from  my 
mother's  womb,  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me  ;"  and  God  to  Jeremiah : 
"  Before  I  formed  thee  in  the  belly,  I  knew  thee  ;  and  before  thou 
camest  out  of  the  womb,  I  sanctified  thee."  God  marks  his  own 
from  their  mother's  womb.  When  infants,  God  treasures  up  every 
prayer  for  them.  Every  mother's  tears  he  puts  into  his  bottle,  her 
sighs  into  his  book.  In  boyhood,  he  preserves  their  souls  from 
death,  gives  them  times  of  awakening,  fixes  words  in  their  me- 
mory :  "  I  girded  thee,  though  thou  hast  not  known  me."  When 
his  time  comes,  he  guides  them  to  some  fitting  ministry ;  or,  by 
some  sore  trial,  awakens,  leads  to  Christ,  draws,  wins,  comforts, 
builds  the  soul.  He  is  a  faithful  Creator.  "  Sing,  O  heavens  I 
for  the  Lord  hath  done  it."  That  soul  becomes  a  servant  in- 
deed. 

Some  of  you  know  that  God  has  formed  you.  You  can  trace 
his  hand,  guiding  you  ever  since  you  were  born,  girding  you  when 
you  did  n9t  know  him,  in  the  mother  that  wrestled  for  you,  in  dear 
ones  that  prayed  for  you,  now  in  their  lonely  grave,  in  the  minis- 
ters that  you  have  been  brought  to,  in  the  texts  they  have  been 
guided  to.  O  be  the  Lord's  servant !  let  him  bore  thine  ear.  Bear 
in  your  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

III.  Souls  in  Christ  shall  not  he  forgotten  of  God :  "  Thou  shalt 
not  be  forgotten  of  me."  The  children  of  God  often  think  their 
God  has  forgotten  them.  Often,  when  they  fall  into  sin  and  dark- 
ness, they  feel  cut  off  from  God,  as  if  his  mercies  were  clean  gone 
for  ever.  But  learn  here  that  God  never  forgets  the  soul  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

L  So  it  was  with  Moses  in  the  land.of  Midian.  For  forty 
years  he  thought  God  had  forgotten  his  people.  He  wandered 
about  as  a  shepherd  in  the  wilderness  for  forty  years,  sad  and  de- 
solate. But  had  God  really  forgotten  his  people  ?  No  ;  he  ap- 
peared in  a  flaming  fire  in  a  bush,  and  said :  "  I  have  seen,  I  have 
seen  the  affliction  of  my  people,  and  I  have  heard  their  groaning, 
and  am  come  down  to  deliver  them ;  for  /  know  their  sorrows." 
God  knows  thy  sorrows,  O  soul  in  Christ.  2.  So  it  was  with  Da- 
vid, in  Ps.  Ixxvii.,  xiii.,  and  xxxi.  3.  So  it  was  with  Hezekiah, 
when  God  told  him  he  must  die.  Hezekiah  wept  sore :  "  Like  a 
crane  or  a  swallow  so  di^  I  chatter ;  I  did  mourn  as  a  dove :  mine 
eyes  fail  with  looking  upward :  O  Lord,  I  am  oppressed ;  under- 
take for  me."  Isa.  xxxviii.,  14.  Did  God  forget  him?  No ;  God 
said  this  word  to  him :  "  I  have  heard  thy  praver,  I  have  seen  thy 
14 


210  SERMON    XXXIV. 

tears  ;  I  will  add  unto  thy  days  fifteen  years."  God  never  forgets 
the  soul  in  Christ.  4.  So  shall  it  be  with  God's  ancient  people: 
"  Zion  said,  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath  for- 
gotten me.  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she 
should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb  ?  yea,  they 
may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."  Isa.  xlix.  14,  15.  5.  So 
it  is  in  the  words  of  the  text :  "  Thou  shall  not  be  forgotten  of 
me."  The  world  may  forget  thee,  thy  friends,  thy  father,  thy 
mother,  may  forsake  thee  ;  yet  "  thou  shalt  not  be  forgotten  of 
me." 

A  word  to  souls  in  Christ. — The  Lord  cannot  forget  you.  If 
you  stood  before  God  in  your  own  righteousness,  then  I  see  how 
you  might  be  separated  from  his  love  and  care  ;  for  your  frames 
vary,  your  goodness  is  like  the  morning  cloud  and  early  dew. 
But  you  stand  before  him  in  Christ :  and  Christ  is  the  same  yes- 
terday, to-day,  and  for  ever.  You  shall  be  held  in  everlasting 
remembrance.  The  world  may  forget  you,  your  friends  may  for- 
get you,  for  this  is  a  forgetting  world,  you  may  not  have  a  tomb- 
stone over  your  grave ;  but  God  will  not  forget  you,  Christ  will 
put  your  name  beside  that  of  his  faithful  martyr,  Antipas.  In  life, 
in  death,  in  eternity,  thou  "  shall  not  be  forgotten  of  me." 

IV.  A  redeemed  soul  should  return  unto  God :  "  Return  unto  me." 
The  sin  and  misery  of  every  natural  soul  is  in  gomg  away  from 
God.  Adam  hid  himself  from  the  presence  of  God.  So  Isaiah 
complains  ;  "  They  have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  an- 
ger :  they  are  gone  away  backward."  And  God  says  :  "  What 
iniquity  have  your  fathers  found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from 
me  ?"  "  Can  a  maid  forget  her  ornaments,  or  a  bride  her  attire  ? 
yet  my  people  have  forgotten  me  days  without  number."  But 
when  a  soul  has  come  to  Christ,  there  is  no  more  reason  why  he 
should  return  unto  God.  *'  Return  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed 
thee."  "  Through  Jesus,  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto 
the  Father."  "  I  am  the  way  ;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father, 
but  by  me." 

Dear  brethren  in  Christ,  let  me  entreat  you  to  return  unto  the 
Father. 

1.  Come  into  the  arms  of  his  love. — When  God  has  redeemed 
a  soul,  he  wants  to  have  him  in  his  arms,  he  wants  to  fall  upon  his 
neck  and  kiss  him.  See  how  he  tries  to  win  the  soul !  tells  all 
that  he  has  done  for  him,  all  that  he  will  do  ;  and  adds  :  "  Return 
unto  me ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee."  Oh  !  why  are  ye  fearful, 
ye  of  little  faith  ?  Why  do  you  hang  back,  and  will  not  venture 
near  to  God  ?  Why  do  you  not  run  to  him  ?  Some  say :  I  am 
afraid  of  past  sins.  Oh  !  but  hear  his  word  :  "  I  have  blotted  out. 
Return  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee."  Some  say :  I  am 
afraid  he  cannot  wish  such  a  sinful,  weak  thi-ng  as  I  beside  him. 
Oh  !  foolish,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  his  own  word.     Does  he 


SERMON    XXXV.  211 

not  speak  plain  enough  and  kind  enough  ?     "  Return  unto  me,  for 
I  have  redeemed  thee." 

2.  Come  into  communion  with  him ;  daily  walk  with  him. 
Enoch  walked  with  God.  Once  Adam  walked  with  God  in  pa- 
radise, as  easily,  Herbert  says,  "  as  you  may  walk  from  one  room 
to  another."  He  talked  with  him  concei'ning  his  judgments.  Oh  ! 
come  unto  thy  God,  redeemed,  forgiven  soul.  Acquaint  thyself 
with  God,  and  be  at  peace.  Come  to  him ;  do  not  rest  short  of 
him.  You  think  it  a  great  thing  to  know  a  lively  Christian  ;  oh  ! 
how  infinitely  better  to  know  God.  It  is  your  infinite  blessedness. 
You  will  get  more  knowledge  in  one  hour  with  God,  than  in  all 
your  life  spent  with  man.  You  will  get  more  holiness  from  im- 
mediate conversing  with  God,  than  from  all  other  means  of  grace 
put  together.  Indeed,  the  means  are  empty  vanity,  unless  you 
come  to  God  in  them.  "  Return  unto  me  ;  for  I  have  redeemed 
thee." 

3.  To  the  backslider. — Guilty  soul,  you  have  been  within  the 
veil ;  you  know  the  peace  that  Jesus  gives  ;  you  know  the  joy  of 
the  smile  of  God.  But  you  have  left  all  this,  and  gone  away 
backward.  Guilty  soul,  you  have  done  worse  than  the  world. 
Worldly  men  never  served  Christ  as  you  have  done.  They  have 
spit  on  him,  and  buffeted  him,  and  crucified  him ;  but  you  have 
wounded  him  in  the  house  of  his  friends :  "It  was  not  an  enemy 
that  reproached  me ;  then  I  could  have  borne  it ;  but  thou,  my 
friend  and  mine  acquaintance."  Guilty  soul,  what  says  God  unto 
thee  ?  "  Depart  thou  cursed  ?"  No  :  "  Return  unto  me  ;  for  I 
have  redeemed  thee."  "  Return,  O  backsliding  daughter ;  for  I 
am  married  unto  you."  Return,  sinner,  thy  God  calleth  thee  ;  the 
God  that  chose  thee,  the  Saviour  that  died  for  thee,  the  Comforter 
that  renewed  thee.     "  Return  unto  me  ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee." 

St.  Peter's,  July  8,  1S3S. 


SERMON  XXXV. 


I  WILL  POUR  WATER. 


"  For  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground :  I 
will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  Seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring :  and 
they  shall  spring  up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  bv  the  water  courses." — Isa. 
xliv.,  3,  4. 

These  words  describe  a  time  of  refreshing.  There  are  no  words 
in  the  whole  Bible  that  have  been  oftener  in  my  heart,  and  oftener 
on  my  tongue  than  these,  since  I  began  my  ministry  among  you. 
And  yet,  although  God  has  never,  from  the  very  first  day  left  us 


212  ^  SERMON    XXXV. 

without  some  tokens  of  his  presence,  yet  he  has  never  fulfilled  this 
promise ;  and  I  have  taken  it  up  to-day,  in  order  that  we  may 
consider  it  more  fully,  and  plead  it  more  anxiously  w^ith  God. 
For,  as  Rutherford  said,  "  My  record  is  on  high,  that  your  heaven 
would  be  Uke  tvs^o  heavens  to  me ;  and  the  salvation  of  you  all, 
like  two  salvations  to  me." 

I.  Who  is  the  author  in  a  work  of  grace  ?  It  is  God  :  "  I  will 
pour." 

1.  It  is  God  who  begins  a  work  of  anxiety  in  dead  souls.  So 
it  is  in  Zech.  xii. :  "  I  will  pour  out  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  sup- 
plications, and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced 
and  mourn."  And  so  the  promise  is  in  John  xvi. :  "  When  he  is 
come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin  ;  because  they  believe  not 
on  me."  And  so  is  the  passage  of  Ezek.  xxxvii. :  "  Come  from  the 
four  winds,  O  breath,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may 
live."  If  any  of  you  have  been  awakened,  and  made  to  beat  upon 
the  breast,  it  is  God,  and  God  alone  that  hath  done  it.  If  ever  we 
are  to  see  a  time  of  wide-spread  concern  among  your  famili'es, 
children  asking  their  parents,  parents  asking  their  children,  people 
asking  their  ministers,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  if  ever  we 
are  to  see  such  a  time  as  Mr.  Edwards  speaks  of,  when  there  was 
scarcely  a  single  person  in  the  whole  town  left  unconcerned  about 
the  great  things  of  the  eternal  world,  God  must  pour  out  the  Spi- 
rit :  "  I  will  pour." 

2.  It  is  God  who  carries  on  the  work,  leading  awakened 
persons  to  Christ.  "  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh," 
"  and  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
delivered."  Joel  ii.,  28,  32.  And  again,  in  John:  "He  shall 
convince  the  world  of  righteousness."  If  ever  we  are  to  see  souls 
flying  like  a  cloud,  and  like  doves,  to  Jesus  Christ,  if  ever  we  are 
to  see  multitudes  of  you  fleeing  to  that  city  of  refuge,  if  ever  we 
are  to  see  parents  rejoicing  over  their  children  as  new-born, 
husbands  rejoicing  over  their  wives,  and  wives  over  their  husbands, 
God  must  pour  out  the  Spirit.  He  is  the  author  and  finisher  of  a 
work  of  grace  :  "I  will  pour." 

3.  It  is  God  who  enlarges  his  people.  You  remember,  in 
Zech.  iv.,  how  the  olive  trees  supplied  the  golden  candlesticks 
with  oil — they  emptied  the  golden  oil  out  of  themselves.  If  there 
is  little  oil,  the  lamps  burn  dim  ;  if  much  oil,  the  lamps  begin 
to  blaze.  Ah  !  if  ever  we  are  to  see  you  who  are  children  of 
God  greatly  enlarged,  your  hearts  filled  with  joy,  your  lips  filled 
with  praises  ;  if  ever  we  are  to  see  you  growing  like  willows 
beside  the  water-courses,  filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God — God 
must  pour  down  his  Spirit.  He  must  fulfil  his  word  ;  for  he  is 
the  Alpha  and  Omega — the  author  and  finisher  of  a  work  of  grace ; 
«  I  will  pour." 

First  Lesson. — Learn  to  look  beyond  ministers  for  a  work  of 


SERMON   XXXV.  213 

grace.  God  has  given  much  honor  to  his  ministers  ;  but  not 
the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit.  He  keeps  that  in  his  own  hand : 
"  I  will  pour."  "  It  is  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  Alas  !  we  would  have  little 
hope,  if  it  depended  upon  ministers  ;  for  where  are  our  men  of 
might  now?  God  is  as  able  to  do  it  for  to-day  as  he  was  at 
the  day  of  Pentecost ;  but  men  are  taken  up  with  ministers,  and 
not  with  God.  As  long  as  you  look  to  ministers,  God  cannot 
pour ;  for  you  would  say  it  came  from  man.  Ah  !  cease  from 
man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils.  One  would  think  we  would 
be  humbled  in  the  dust  by  this  time.  In  how  many  parishes  of 
Scotland  has  God  raised  up  faithful  men,  who  cease  not  day 
and  night  to  warn  every  one  with  tears  !  and  yet  still  the  heavens 
are  like  brass,  and  the  earth  like  iron.  Why  ?  Just  because 
your  eye  is  on  man,  and  not  on  God.  Oh  !  look  off  man  to  him, 
and  he  will  pour ;  and  his  shall  be  all  the  glory. 

Second  Lesson. — Learn  good  hope  of  revival  in  our  day. 

Third  Lesson. — Learn  that  we  should  pray  for  it.  We  are 
often  for  preaching  to  awaken  others  ;  but  we  should  be  more 
upon  praying  for  it.  Prayer  is  more  powerful  than  preaching. 
It  is  prayer  that  gives  preaching  all  its  power.  I  observe  that 
some  Christians  are  very  ready  to  censure  ministers,  and  to 
complain  of  their  preaching — of  their  coldness — their  unfaithful- 
ness. God  forbid  that  I  should  ever  defend  unfaithful  preaching, 
or  coldness,  or  deadness,  in  the  ambassador  of  Christ  !  May  my 
right  hand  sooner  forget  its  cunning  !  But.  I  do  say,  where  lies 
the  blame  of  unfaithfulness  1 — where,  but  in  the  want  of  faith- 
ful praying  ?  Why,  the  very  hands  of  Moses  would  have  fallen 
down,  had  they  not  been  held  up  by  his  faithful  people.  Come, 
then,  ye  wrestlers  with  God — ye  that  climb  Jacob's  ladder — 
ye  that  wrestle  Jacob's  wrestling — strive  you  with  God,  that  he 
may  fulfil  his  word :  "  I  will  pour." 

II,  God  begins  with  thirsty  souls  :  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him 
that  is  thirsty." 

L  Awakened  persons. — There  are  often  souls  that  have  been  a 
long  time  under  the  awakening  hand  of  God.  God  has  led  them 
into  trouble,  but  not  into  peace.  He  has  taken  them  down  into 
the  wilderness,  and  there  they  wander  about  in  search  of  re- 
freshing waters  ;  but  they  find  none.  They  wander  from  moun- 
tain to  hill  seeking  rest,  and  finding  none ;  they  go  from  well  to 
well,  seeking  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  their  tongue  ;  they  go  from 
minister  to  minister,  from  sacrament  to  sacrament,  opening  their 
mouth,  and  panting  earnestly  ;  yet  they  find  no  peace.  These  are 
thirsty  souls.  Now,  it  is  a  sweet  thought  that  God  begins  with 
such  :  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty."  The  whole 
Bible  shows  that  God  has  a  peculiar  tenderness  for  such  as  are 
thirsty.     Christ,  who  is  the  express  image  of  God,  had  a  peculiar 


214  SERMON    XXXV. 

tenderness  for  them  :  "  The  Lord  God  hath  given  me  the  tongue 
of  the  learned,  that  I  should  know  how  to  speak  a  word  in  season 
to  him  that  is  weary."  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  "  If  any  man  thirst, 
let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  Many  of  his  cures  were  in- 
tended to  win  the  hearts  of  these  burdened  souls.  The  woman 
that  had  spent  all  upon  other  physicians,  and  was  nothing  better, 
but  rather  worse,  no  sooner  touched  the  hem  of  his  garment, 
than  she  was  made  whole.  Another  cried  after  him,  "  Lord,  help 
me,"  yet  he  answered  not  a  word  ;  but  at  last  said  :  "  O  woman, 
great  is  thy  faith ;  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  Another 
was  bowed  down  eighteen  years  ;  but  Jesus  laid  his  hands  on  her, 
and  immediately  she  was  made  straight. 

Weary  sinner,  (1.)  This  is  Jesus  ;  this  is  what  he  wants  to  do 
for  you  :  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty."  Only  be- 
lieve that  he  is  willing  and  able,  and  it  shall  be  done.  (2.)  Learn 
that  it  must  come  from  his  hand.  In  vain  you  go  to  other  physi- 
cians ;  you  will  be  nothing  better,  but  rather  worse.  Wait  on 
him  ;  kneel  and  worship  him,  saying :  "  Lord,  help  me."  (3.)  Oh  ! 
long  for  a  time  of  refreshing,  that  weary  souls  may  be  brought 
into  peace.  If  we  go  on  in  this  every-day  way,  these  burdened 
souls  may  perish — may  sink  uncomforted  into  the  grave.  Arise, 
and  plead  with  God,  that  he  may  arise  and  fulfil  his  word  :  "  I  will 
pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty." 

2.  Thirsty  believers. — All  believers  should  be  thirsty  ;  alas ! 
few  are.  Signs  :  1.  Much  thirst  after  the  Word. — When  two 
travellers  are  going  through  the  wilderness,  you  may  know  which 
of  them  is  thirsty,  by  his  always  looking  out  for  wells.  How 
gladly  Israel  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells  of  water, 
and  seventy  palm  trees  !  So  it  is  with  thirsty  believers  ;  they 
love  the  Word,  read  and  preached,  they  thirst  for  it  more  and 
more.  Is  it  so  with  you,  dear  believing  brethren  ?  In  Scotland, 
long  ago,  it  used  to  be  so.  Often,  after  the  blessing  was  pro- 
nounced, the  people  would  not  go  away  till  they  heard  more. 
Ah  !  children  of  God,  it  is  a  fearful  sign  to  see  little  thirst  in  you. 
I  do  not  wonder  much  when  the  world  stay  away  from  our 
meetings  for  the  Word  and  prayer  ;  but,  ah  !  when  you  do,  I 
am  dumb,  my  soul  will  weep  in  secret  places  for  your  pride. 
I  say,  God  grant  that  we  may  not  have  a  famine  of  the  Word  ere 
long.  (2.)  Much  prayer. — When  a  little  child  is  thirsty  for  its 
mother's  breast,  it  will  not  keep  silence  ;  no  more  will  a  child  of 
God  who  is  thirsty.  Thirst  will  lead  you  to  the  secret  well, 
where  you  may  draw  unseen  the  living  water.  It  will  lead  you 
to  united  prayer.  If  the  town  were  in  want  of  water,  and  thirst 
staring  every  man  in  the  face,  would  you  not  meet  one  with  another, 
and  consult,  and  help  to  dig  new  wells  ?  Now,  the  town  is  in 
want  of  grace,  souls  are  perishing  for  lack  of  it,  and  you  your- 
selves are   languishing.      Oh  !  meet  to  pray.     "  If  two  of  you 


SERMON    XXXV.  215 

shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask, 
it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 
(3.)  Desh-e  to  grow  in  grace. — Some  persons  are  contented 
when  they  come  to  Christ.  They  sink  back,  as  it  were,  into  an 
easy  chair,  they  ask  no  more,  they  wish  no  more.  This  must  not 
be.  If  you  are  thirsty  believers,  you  will  seek  salvation  as  much 
after  conversion  as  before  it.  "  Forgetting  those  things  which 
are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are 
before,  press  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

To  thirsty  souls. — Dear  children,  I  look  for  the  first  drops  of 
grace  among  you,  in  answer  to  your  prayers,  to  fill  your  panting 
mouths.  Oh,  yes,  he  will  pour.  "  A  vineyard  of  red  wine,  I  the 
Lord  do  keep  it ;  I  will  water  it  every  moment :  lest  any  hurt  it, 
I  will  keep  it  night  and  day." — Isa.  xxvii.,  2,  3.  "  With  joy  shall 
ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." — Isa.  xii.,  3. 

III.  God  pours  floods  on  the  dry  ground. — The  dry  ground 
represents  those  who  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Just  as 
you  have  seen  the  ground,  in  a  dry  summer,  all  parched  and  dry, 
cracking  and  open,  yet  it  speaks  not,  it  asks  not  the  clouds  to  fall ; 
so  is  it  with  most  in  our  parishes.  They  are  all  dead  and  dry, 
parched  and  withered,  without  a  prayer  for  grace,  without  even 
a  desire  for  it.  Yet  what  says  God  ?  "  I  will  pour  floods  upon 
them."     Marks  :— 

1.  They  do  not  pray. — I  believe  there  are  many  in  our  parishes 
who  do  not  make  a  habit  of  secret  prayer,  who,  neither  in 
their  closet  nor  in  the  embowering  shade,  ever  pour  out  their 
heart  to  God.  I  believe  there  are  many  who  are  dropping  into 
hell  who  never  so  much  as  said  :  "  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sin- 
ner." Ah  !  these  are  the  dry  ground.  Oh  !  it  is  sad  to  think  that 
the  souls  that  are  nearest  to  hell  are  the  souls  that  pray  least 
to  be  delivered  from  it. 

2.  They  do  not  wish  a  work  of  grace  in  their  souls. — I  believe 
many  of  you  came  to  the  house  of  God  to-day  who  would  rather 
lose  house,  and  home,  and  friends,  than  have  a  work  of  grace 
done  in  your  heart.  Nothing  would  terrify  you  so  much  as  the 
idea  that  God  might  make  you  a  praying  Christian.  Ah  !  you 
are  the  dry  gtouiid  ;  you  love  death. 

3.  Those  who  do  not  attend  to  the  preached  Word. — I  have 
heard  anxious  persons  declare  that  they  never  heard  a  sermon 
in  all  their  life  till  they  were  awakened,  that  they  regularly 
thought  about  something  else  all  the  time.  I  believe  this  is 
the  way  with  many  of  you.  You  are  the  dry  ground.  What 
will  God  pour  out  on  you  ?  Floods,  floods  of  wrath  ?  No  ; 
floods  of  grace,  floods  of  the  Spirit,  floods  of  blessing.  Oh  !  the 
mercy  of  God,  it  passes  all  understanding.  You  deserve  the 
flood  that  came  on  the   world   of  the  ungodly ;  but  he  ofiers 


216  SERMON   XXXV. 

floods  of  blessing.  You  deserve  the  rain  of  Sodom ;  but,  behold, 
he  offers  floods  of  his  Spirit. 

Fii-st  Lesson. — Learn  how  much  you  are  interested  that  there 
should  be  a  work  of  grace  in  our  day.  You  are  the  very  persons 
who  do  not  care  about  lively  preaching ;  who  ridicule  prayer- 
meetings,  and  put  a  mock  on  secret  prayer ;  and  yet  you  are  the 
very  persons  that  are  most  concerned.  Ah  !  poor  dry  ground 
souls,  you  should  be  the  first  to  cry  out  for  lively  ministers ;  you 
should  go  round  the  Christians,  and,  on  your  bended  knees,  entreat 
them  to  come  out  to  our  prayer-meeting.  You,  more  than  all  the 
rest,  should  wait  for  the  fulfilment  of  this  word ;  for  if  it  come 
not,  oh !  what  will  come  of  you?  Poor  dead,  dead  souls,  you 
cannot  pray  for  yourselves !  One  by  one,  you  will  drop  into  a 
sad  eternity. 

Second  Lesson. — Learn,  Christians,  to  pray  for  floods.  It  is 
God's  word,  he  puts  it  into  your  mouth.  Oh  !  do  not  ask  for  drops, 
when  God  offers  floods.     "  Open  thy  mouth  and  I  will  fill  it." 

iV.  Effects. 

\.  Saved  souls  will  be  like  grass.  They  shall  spring  up  as 
grass.  So,  in  Ps.  Ixxii.:  "  They  of  the  city  shall  be  like  grass  of 
the  earth."  Many  will  be  awakened,  many  saved.  At  present, 
Christ's  people  are  like  a  single  lily  amongst  many  thorns  ;  but  in 
a  time  of  grace  they  shall  be  like  grass.  Count  the  blades  of 
grass  that  spring  in  the  clear  shining  after  a  rain  ;  so  many  shall 
Christ's  people  be.  Count  the  drops  of  dew  that  come  from  the 
womb  of  the  morning,  shining  like  diamonds  in  the  morning  sun ; 
so  shall  Christ's  people  be  in  a  day  of  his  power.  Count  the  stars 
that  sparkle  in  night's  black  mantle  ;  so  shall  Abraham's  seed  be. 
Count  the  dust  of  the  earth ;  so  shall  Israel  be  in  the  day  of  an 
outpoured  Spirit.  Oh  !  pray  for  an  outpoured  Spirit,  ye  men  of 
prayer,  that  there  may  be  many  raised  up  in  our  day  to  call  him 
blessed. 

2.  Believers  shall  grow  like  willows.  There  is  nothing  more 
distressing  in  our  day  than  the  want  of  growth  among  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  They  do  not  seem  to  press  forward,  they  do  not 
seem  to  be  running  a  race.  When  I  compare  this  year  with  last 
year,  alas  !  where  is  the  difference  ?  the  same  weaknesses,  the 
same  coldness ;  nay,  I  fear,  greater  languor  in  divine  things. 
How  different  when  the  Spirit  is  poured  out !  They  shall  be  like 
willows.  You  have  seen  the  willow,  how  it  grows,  ceases  not 
day  or  night,  ever  growing,  ever  shooting  out  new  branches. 
Cut  it  down,  it  springs  again.  Ah  !  so  would  you  be,  dear  Chris- 
tians, if  there  were  a  flood-time  of  the  Spirit,  a  day  of  Pentecost. 
(L)  Then  there  would  be  less  care  about  your  business  and  your 
workshop,  more  love  of  prayer,  and  sweet  praises.  (2.)  There 
would  be  more  change  in  your  heart,  victory  over  the  world,  the 
devil,  and  the  flesh.     You  would  come  out,  and  be  separate.     (3.) 


SERMON   XXXVI.  217 

In  affliction,  you  would  grow  in  sweet  submission,  humility, 
meekness.  There  was  a  time  in  Scotland  when  Sabbath-days  were 
growing  days.  Hungry  souls  came  to  the  Word,  and  went  away 
filled  with  good  things.  They  came  like  Martha,  and  went  away 
like  Mary.  They  came  like  Samson,  when  his  locks  were  shorn, 
and  went  away  like  Samson  when  his  locks  were  grown. 

3.  Self-dedication.  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's."  Oh ! 
there  is  no  greater  joy  than  for  a  believing  soul  to  give  himself  all 
to  God.  This  has  always  been  the  way  in  times  of  refreshing. 
It  was  so  at  Pentecost.  First  they  gave  their  ovvnselves  unto  the 
Lord.  It  was  so  with  Boston,  and  Doddridge,  and  Edwards,  and 
all  the  holy  men  of  old.  "  I  have  this  day  been  before  God,"  says 
Edwards,  "and  have  given  myself — all  that  I  am  and  have — to 
God ;  so  that  I  am  in  no  respect  my  own.  I  can  challenge  no 
right  in  myself,  in  this  understanding,  this  will,  these  affections. 
Neither  have  I  right  to  this  body,  or  any  of  its  members ;  no 
right  to  this  tongue,  these  hands,  these  feet,  these  eyes,  these  ears. 
I  have  given  myself  clean  away."  Oh  !  would  that  you  knew  the 
joy  of  giving  yourself  away.  You  cannot  keep  yourself.  Oh  ! 
this  day  try  and  give  all  to  Him.  Lie  in  his  hand.  Little  children, 
O  that  you  would  become  like  him  who  said  :  "  I  am  God's  boy 
altogether,  mother  1"  Write  on  your  hand ;  "  I  am  the  Lord's." 
St.  Peter's,  July  1,1838. 


SERMON  XXXVI. 

GOD  LET  NONE  OF  HIS  WORDS  FALL  TO  THE  GROUND. 

"  Samuel  grew  and  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  did  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the 
ground." — 1  Sam.  iii.,  19 

It  has  long  been  a  matter  of  sad  and  solemn  inquiry  to  me,  what 
is  the  cause  of  the  little  success  that  attends  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  in  our  day,  and,  in  particular,  in  my  own  parish.  Many 
reasons  have  risen  up  before  me. 

L  There  are  reasons  in  ministers.  (L)  The  flocks  are  too 
large  to  be  cared  for  by  the  shepherd.  My  own  flock  is  just  four 
times  the  size  a  flock  used  to  be  in  the  days  of  our  fathers  ;  so  that 
I  am  called  upon  to  do  the  work  of  four  ministers,  and  am  left,  like 
Issachar,  couching  down  between  two  burdens.  (2.)  Again,  there 
is  little  union  in  prayer  among  the  ministers.  Heartburnings  and 
jealousies,  and  cold  suspicions,  seem  to  put  a  sad  bar  in  the  way  to 
this  so  necessary  union.  (3.)  Again,  comparing  ministers  now  with 
ministers  long  ago,  it  is  to  be  feared  there  is  not  that  longing 
for  the  conversion  of  their  people  which  there  used  to  be  ;  little 


218  SERMON  xxxyi. 

weeping  between  the  porch  and  the  altar ;  little  wrestling  with 
God  in  secret  for  a  blessing  on  the  Word  ;  little  travailing  in  birth 
till  Christ  be  formed  in  their  people  the  hope  of  glory.  It  is  said 
of  the  excellent  Alleine,  that  he  was  *'  infinitely,  insatiably  greedy 
of  the  conversion  of  souls."  It  is  to  be  feared  there  is  little  of  this 
greediness  now.  Matthew  Henry  used  to  say  :  "  I  would  think  it 
a  greater  happiness  to  gain  one  soul  to  Christ,  than  mountains  of 
silver  and  gold  to  myself."  We  have  few  Matthew  Henrys  now. 
Samuel  Rutherford  used  to  say  to  his  flock  :  "  My  witness  is  above, 
that  your  heaven  would  be  two  heavens  to  me ;  and  the  salvation 
of  you  all  as  two  salvations  to  me."*  Oh  that  God  would  give  us 
something  of  this  Spirit  now  ! 

2.  There  are  reasons  in  Christians.  (1.)  There  seems  little 
appetite  for  the  word  among  Christians.  I  do  not  mean  that  there 
is  litile  hearing — oh,  no — this  is  an  age  for  hearing  sermons ;  but 
there  is  little  hearing  the  Word  for  all  that.  "  One  says  :  I  am  of 
Paul  ;  and  another,  I  of  Apollos  ;  and  I  of  Cephas  ;  and  I  of 
Christ."  You  come  to  hear  the  word  of  man,  but  not  the  word 
of  God.  You  go  away  judging  and  criticising,  instead  of  laying 
it  to  heart.  Oh,  for  the  time  when  Christians,  like  new  born 
babes,  would  desire  the  sincsre  milk  of  the  Word,  that  they  might 
grow  thereby  !  (2.)  Little  prayer.  Two  farmers  possessed  two 
fields  that  laj^  next  to  each  other.  The  one  had  rich  crops,  the  other 
very  scanty  ones.  "  How  comes  it,"  said  the  one  to  the  other, "  that 
your  fields  bear  so  well,  and  mine  so  poorly,  when  my  land  is  as 
good  as  yours  ?"  "  Why,  neighbor,"  said  the  other,  "  the  reason  is 
this,  you  only  sow  your  field,  but  I  both  sow  mine  and  harrow  in  the 
seed."  Just  so,  my  dear  friends,  there  is  little  fruit  among  Chris- 
tians, because  there  is  little  harrowing  in  by  prayer.  I  think  I 
could  name  many  Christians  among  you  who  do  not  know  one 
another  and  never  pray  with  one  another.  What  wonder  that 
there  is  little  fruit  I 

3.  Reasons  in  unconverted.  (1.)  There  is  much  keeping  away 
from  the  house  of  God.  I  suppose  there  are  at  least  a  thousand 
persons  in  my  parish  who  never  enter  the  house  of  God.  Ah ! 
how  shall  we  catch  these  souls,  when  they  keep  so  far  from  the 
net  ?  (2.)  Again,  many  come  only  in  the  afternoons.  The  very 
souls  that  have  the  most  need  to  hear  are  those  which  come  but 
once.  How  do  you  expect  a  work  of  God,  when  you  cast  such 
open  contempt  upon  his  ordinance  ?  (3.)  Again,  how  many  keep 
out  of  the  way  when  we  visit  in  your  houses,  lest  some  word 
should  strike  upon  your  conscience,  and  you  should  convert  and 
be  healed  !  How  often,  when  I  preach  in  your  houses,  do  I  find 
ten  women  for  every  man  !  Have  the  men  no  souls  that  they  keep 
away  from  God's  holy  ordinance  ?  (4.)  Again,  there  is  an  awful 
profaning  of  the  two  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

•  Robert  Bruce — John  Welsh. — Revivalist,  No.  74. 


SERMON   XXXVI.  219 

The  whole  Bible  declares  that  they  are  intended  only  for  those 
who  have  been  born  again  ;  yet  how  many  rush  forward  to  them 
with  mad  and  daring  hand,  drawing  down  the  curse  of  a  seared 
conscience  and  a  stony  heart ! 

These  are  painful  truths — enough  to  break  the  heart  of  any 
Christian  man  that  labors  among  you.  Ah  !  where  is  the  wonder 
that  God  should  be  a  stranger  in  the  land,  and  like  a  wayforing 
man,  that  turns  aside  to  tarry  for  a  night  ?  And  yet  this  word 
comes  like  a  beam  of  sunshine  in  a  storm  ;  God  be  praised  for  it ! 
"  Samuel  grew,  and  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  did  let  none  of 
his  words  fall  to  the  ground."  Samuel  was  young  in  years,  and 
it  pleased  God  to  cast  him  in  days  just  as  wicked  as  ours  ;  and 
how  did  God  encourage  him  ?  In  two  ways.  }st,  God  was  with 
him. — God  stood  at  his  right  hand,  so  that  he  could  not  be  moved. 
2d,  God  did  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground.  May  the 
Lord  give  us  both  these  encouragements  this  day  ! 

Doctrine. — God  will  not  let  one  word  of  his  ministers  fall  to  the 
ground. 

L   The  Word  often  works  visibly. 

In  most  cases  a  work  of  grace  is  very  visible.  L  When  the 
Spirit  awakens  the  soul  to  know  its  lost  condition,  there  are  very 
generally  evident  marks  of  awakening.  The  jailor  trembled,  and 
sprung  in,  and  fell  down,  and  said :  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 
So  it  is  commonly.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  If  a  man  be 
in  danger  of  losing  all  his  money,  or  his  wife,  or  child,  he  will 
often  weep,  and  tremble,  and  wring  the  hands,  and  cry,  Woe  is 
me,  I  am  undone.  And  is  there  less  cause  for  weeping  and 
trembling,  if  a  man  be  in  danger  of  losing  his  own  soul  ?  2.  When 
the  soul  is  brought  to  peace,  there  is  in  general  an  evident  change. 
"  The  woman  stood  behind  Christ's  feet  weeping.  She  washed 
them  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head, 
and  kissed  them."  So  it  is  commonly.  The  bosom  is  brought  to 
rest ;  the  eyes  are  filled  with  tears  of  joy ;  there  is  a  lively  at- 
tendance on  the  Word  of  God  ;  an  exultation  in  singing  his  praises  ; 
the  Sabbath  is  now  plainly  honored  and  kept  holy  ;  sinful  com- 
panions are  forsaken.  Ah  !  my  dear  friends,  it  is  my  heart's  de- 
sire and  prayer,  that  these  outward  marks  of  a  work  of  grace  were 
more  common  in  the  midst  of  you.  I  fear  there  can  be  no  exten- 
sive work  of  grace,  where  these  are  wanting. 

II.   The  Word  may  he  working  unseen. 

In  some  cases  the  work  of  grace  is  quite  invisible.  I  believe 
that  God,  for  wise  reasons,  sometimes  carries  on  a  work  of  grace 
in  the  heart,  secretly  and  unknown  to  all  the  world  but  to  himself 
There  are  three  things  make  me  think  so : — 

L  Christ  compared  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  heart  to  leaven 
and  to  seed :  *'  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which 


220  SERMON    XXXVI. 

a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole 
was  leavened."  Now,  you  know  that  the  process  of  leavening 
goes  on  a  long  time  in  the  heart  of  the  meal  quite  unseen  ;  so  may 
the  work  of  grace.  Again  :  "  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God  as  if  a 
man  should  cast  seed  into  the  ground,  and  should  sleep,  and  rise 
night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow  up,  he  knoweth 
not  how." — Mark  iv.,  6.  Now  you  know  the  growing  of  the 
seed  beneath  the  cloud  is  all  unseen ;  so  is  it  often  with  the  work 
of  grace. 

2.  Who  is  the  workman  in  conversion  ?  It  is  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Now  he  works  unseen,  like  the  wind  :  "  The  wind  bloweth  where 
it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell 
whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every  one  that  is 
born  of  the  Spirit."  He  works  like  the  dew  :  "  I  will  be  as  the 
dew  unto  Israel."  Now,  no  man  ever  yet  heard  the  dew  falling. 
He  works  like  the  well.  "  The  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall 
be  in  him  a  well  of  water,  springing  up  unto  everlasting  life." 
If  the  Spirit  work  so  secretly,  no  wonder  if  his  work  is  sometimes 
unseen. 

3.  So  it  has  been  in  fact:  Elijah  cried,  "I,  even  I,  am  left 
alone."  How  surprised  was  he  to  find  seven  thousand  who  had 
never  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal !  So  shall  it  be  in  the  latter  day  : 
"  Then  shalt  thou  say  in  thine  heart,  Who  hath  begotten  me  these, 
seeing  I  have  lost  my  children,  and  am  desolate,  a  captive,  and 
removing  to  and  fro  ?  and  who  hath  brought  up  these  ?  Behold 
I  was  left  alone ;  these,  where  had  they  been  ?" — Isa.  xUx.,  21. 

Encouragement  to  godly  parents,  and  teachers,  and  ministers. — 
I  know  some  of  you  have  long  been  watching  for  a  work  of  grace 
in  your  children's  hearts.  Learn  this  day  that  God  will  not  let 
one  word  fall  to  the  ground.  His  word  shall  not  return  to  him 
void.  But  you  say,  Alas !  I  see  no  marks  of  grace.  Go  to  the 
dough  when  the  leaven  has  been  thrust  in,  and  it  is  covered  up. 
Do  you  see  any  marks  of  leavening?  No,  not  one.  Still  the 
work  is  going  on  beneath.  So  it  may  be  in  your  child.  Go  to 
the  field  when  the  seed  has  been  covered  in.  Do  you  sec  any 
marks  of  growing  ?  No,  not  a  green  speck.  Still  the  work  is 
going  on.  Turn  up  the  clod,  and  you  will  see  the  seed  sprouting. 
Have  patience  ;  weary  not  in  well-doing.  Be  instant  in  prayer. 
God  will  be  faithful  to  his  promise.  He  will  not  let  one  word  fall 
to  the  ground. 

III.   The  Word  may  take  effect  another  day. 

1.  It  is  a  curious-  fact  in  natural  history,  that  seeds  may  be 
preserved  for  almost  any  length  of  time.  Seeds  that  have  been 
kept  in  a  drawer  for  many  years,  yet,  when  sown  in  their  proper 
season,  have  been  known  to  spring  up,  as  if  they  had  been  but 
a  year  old.  So  it  may  sometimes  be  with  the  seeds  of  grace. 
They  may  be  kept  long  in  the  soul  without  in  the  least  aifecting 


SERMON    XXXYI.  221 

it,  and  yet  may  be  watered  by  the  Spirit,  and  grow  up  many  days 
after. 

2.  In  general  it  is  not  so. — It  is  the  testimony  of  an  old  divine, 
who  was  indeed  a  master  in  Israel :  "  That  the  main  benefit 
obtained  by  preaching  is,  by  impression  made  upon  the  mind  at 
the  time,  and  not  by  remembering  what  was  delivered."*  And 
what  says  the  Scripture :  "  Is  not  my  Word  like  as  a  fire,  and 
like  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ?"  Now  you 
know  that  if  the  fire  burns  not  when  it  is  applied,  it  will  not  burn 
afterwards.  If  the  rock  does  not  break  when  the  hammer  strikes, 
it  is  not  hkely  to  break  afterwards.  Oh  !  my  dear  friends,  to-day, 
while  it  is  called  to-day,  harden  not  your  hearts.  If  your  hearts 
do  not  break  under  the  hammer  to-day,  I  fear  they  will  never 
break.  If  they  melt  not  now,  under  the  fire  of  his  love,  I  fear 
they  will  never  melt. 

3.  In  some  cases,  the  Word  takes  effect  another  day.  One 
faithful  man  of  God  labored  in  his  parish  for  many  a  long 
year ;  and  though  greatly  blessed  elsewhere,  yet  died  without,  I 
believe,  knowing  one  of  his  people  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  Saviour.  Another  servant  now  stands  in  his  room  ;  and 
souls  have  been  gathered  in  in  crowds,  every  one  declaring  that 
it  is  the  word  of  their  departed  minister  that  comes  up  into  their 
heart,  and  makes  them  flee.  Ah!  God  is  a  faithful  God.  He 
will  not  let  any  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground. 

The  excellent  John  Flavel  was  minister  of  Dartmouth,  in  Eng- 
land. One  day  he  preached  from  these  words :  "  If  any  man  love 
not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema  maranatha."  The 
discourse  was  unusually  solemn,  particularly  the  explanation  of 
the  curse.  At  the  conclusion,  when  Mr.  Flavel  rose  to  pronounce 
the  blessing,  he  paused,  and  said,"  How  shall  I  bless  this  whole 
assembly,  when  every  person  in  it  who  loves  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
is  anathema  maranatha  ?"  The  solemnity  of  this  address  deeply 
affected  the  audience.  In  the  congregation  was  a  lad  named 
Luke  Short,  about  fifteen  years  old,  a  native  of  Dartmouth. 
Shortly  after  he  went  to  sea,  and  sailed  to  America,  where  he 
passed  the  rest  of  his  life.  His  life  was  lengthened  far  beyond 
the  usual  term.  When  a  hundred  years  old,  he  was  able  to 
work  on  his  farm,  and  his  mind  was  not  at  all  impaired.  He  had 
lived  all  this  time  in  carelessness  and  sin ;  he  was  a  sinner  a 
hundred  years  old,  and  ready  to  die  accursed.  One  day,  as  he 
sat  in  his  field,  he  busied  himself  in  reflecting  on  his  past  life. 
He  thought  of  the  days  of  his  youth.  His  memory  fixed  on  Mr. 
Flavel's  sermon,  a  considerable  part  of  which  he  remembered. 
The  earnestness  of  the  minister,  the  truths  spoken,  the  effect  on 
the  people,  all  came  fresh  to  his  mind.  He  felt  that  he  had 
not  loved  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  he  feared  the  dreadful  anathema  ;  he 

*  Edwards,  394. 


222  SERMON   XXXVI. 

was  deeply  convinced  of  sin,  was  brought  to  the  blood  of  sprink- 
ling. He  lived  to  his  one  hundred  and  sixteenth  year,  giving 
every  evidence  of  being  born  again.  Ah  !  how  faithful  God  is 
to  his  word.     He  did  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground. 

Be  of  good  cheer,  Christian  mothers,  who  weep  over  your  un- 
awakened  children.  They  may  be  going  far  from  you,  perhaps 
across  the  seas,  and  you  tremble  for  their  souls.  Remember  God 
can  reach  them  everywhere.  A  believing  mother  never  prayed  in 
vain.  Be  instant  in  prayer.  God  will  not  forget  his  word.  He 
will  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground. 

IV.  The  Word  may  harden.  In  some  cases,  I  believe, the  Word 
of  God  is  sent  to  harden  souls ;  and  so  it  will  not  return  void,  but 
prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  he  sent  it.  That  was  an  awful  mes- 
sage God  sent  by  his  prophet :  "  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand 
not ;  and  see  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not." — Isai.  vi.,  9.  I  fear 
there  are  many  such  messages  in  our  day. 

Ques.  Does  God  not  wish  men  to  be  saved?  Ans.  O  yes  ;  God 
willeth  all  men  to  he  saved.  I  believe  there  is  not  one  soul  that 
the  Saviour  does  not  yearn  over  as  he  did  over  Jerusalem  ;  and 
the  Father  says,  "  O  that  they  had  hearkened  unto  me,  and  Israel 
had  walked  in  my  ways  !"  But  still,  when  Jerusalem  resisted  the 
word  of  Christ,  Christ  said,  "Now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes." 
And  if  you  refuse  the  Word  of  Christ,  and  neglect  this  great 
salvation,  I  firmly  believe  that  he  shall  soon  come  to  you  with 
Isaiah's  dreadful  message,  "  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not." 

Oh  !  how  dreadful  a  thought  it  is,  that  though  we  be  the  savor 
of  life  unto  Hie  to  some,  we  are  the  savor  of  death  unto  death  to 
most.  How  dreadful,  that  the  very  words  of  love  and  mercy 
which  we  bring,  should  be  making  some  souls  only  more  fit  for 
the  burning  !  And  yet  it  must  be  so.  How  often  have  I  heard 
men  of  God  complain  that  their  greatest  fruit  was  when  they 
entered  first  upon  their  ministry !  I  do  begin  to  fear  that  it  is 
going  to  be  so  \\\\\\  us,  that  God  hath  chosen  out  his  first-fruits, 
and  the  rest  are  to  be  hardened.  Why  was  this  ?  Because  the 
people  are  hardened  by  the  constant  preaching  of  the  Iruth. 

My  dear  friends,  remember  this  word :  "  God  did  let  none  of 
his  words  fall  to  the  ground."  I  have  gone  among  you  for  more 
than  a  year,  preaching  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom.  Remember, 
the  word  was  not  mine,  but  His  that  sent  me.  I  would  have  been 
ashamed  to  stand  up  and  speak  my  own  words.  If  the  hammer 
does  not  break,  it  makes  the  iron  into  steel.  Every  blow^  makes 
it  harder.  If  the  fire  does  not  melt,  it  hardens  the  clay  into  brick, 
as  hard  as  stone.  If  the  medicine  does  not  heal,  it  poisons.  If  the 
word  concerning  Christ  does  not  break  your  heart,  it  will  make  it 
like  the  nether  millstone.  \ 

V.  For  a  witness. — That  is  an  awful  word  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  14 : 


SERMON    XXXVI.  223 

"  And  this  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the 
world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations."  Ah  !  my  dear  friends, 
God's  word  cannot  return  unto  him  void.  Every  drop  of  rain 
has  its  errand  from  God.  These  driving  showers  of  snow  are  all 
fulfilling  his  word.  And  do  you  really  think  that  the  word  con- 
cerning his  Son  shall  be  spoken  without  any  end  ?  Ah,  no  !  even 
though  not  one  soul  should  be  saved  by  it.  It  shall  be  for  a  wit- 
ness. When  Moses  lifted  up  the  brazen  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
if  the  Israelites  had  been  unwilling  to  look,  I  can  easily  imagine 
the  haste  with  which  he  would  go  round  the  camp,  crying  to  every 
dying  man  :  Look  here,  look  there.  Two  things  would  be  in  his 
mind ;  1st,  To  get  his  people  healed ;  2d,  To  give'  glory  to  his 
God,  by  bearing  witness  to  them  of  the  love  of  God  ;  as  if  he  had 
said  :  Now,  if  you  perish,  it  is  your  own  blame  ;  God  is  clear  of 
your  blood.  So  is  it  with  the  Christian  minister.  You  remember 
Paul,  how  he  was  "  instant,  in  season  and  out  of  season,"  "  teach- 
ing publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  warning  every  one  day 
and  night  with  tears  ;"  "  in  labors  more  abundant ;  in  stripes 
above  measure  ;  in  prisons  more  frequent;  in  deaths  oft."  Why 
all  this?  Ans.  For  two  reasons:  1st,  He  wanted  souls  to  be 
saved.  "  He  was  infinitely  and  insatiably  greedy  of  the  conver- 
sion of  souls."  2c?,  He  sought  the  honor  of  God.  He  wanted  to 
preach  the  Gospel  for  a  witness  ;  to  leave  every  man  without  ex- 
cuse for  remaining  in  his  sins ;  as  if  he  had  said  :  Now  if  you 
perish,  it  is  your  own  blame  ;  God  is  clear  of  your  blood. 

Ah  !  my  dear  friends,  such  is  our  ministry  to  many  of  you.  It 
is  for  a  witness.  God,  who  knows  my  heart,  knows  that  I  seek 
your  salvation  night  arid  day.  "  My  record  is  above,  that  your 
heaven  would  be  two  heavens  to  me  ;  and  your  salvation  as  two 
salvations  to  me."  Yet  if  you  will  not  learn,  I  will  be  a  witness 
against  you  in  that  day.  The  words  that  we  have  spoken  in 
weakness,  and  much  trembling,  will  rise  to  condemn  you  in  that 
day.  How  fain  would  1  see  you  gathered  with  the  ransomed 
flock,  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  !  How  fain,  in  that  day, 
would  I  see  you  smiled  on  by  the  lovely  Saviour,  whose  smile  is 
more  bright  than  the  summer  sun  !  But,  if  it  may  not  be,  I  will 
say  with  the  angels,  "  Hallelujah  !" — "  Even  so,  Father  ;  for  so  it 
seemed  good  in  thy  sight." — Amen. 

St.  Peter's,  Feb  25,  1838. 


294  SERMON    XXXVII. 

SERMON  XXXVII. 

THE    WORK    OF    T«E    SPIRIT. 

"  And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."— Gen.  i.»  2. 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  subject  upon  which  there  is  greater  igno- 
rance than  that  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Most  people,  in  our  day,  if 
they  answered  truly,  would  say  as  those  twelve  men  of  Ephesus: 
"  We  have  not  so  much  as  heard  if  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost." — 
Acts  xix.  And  yet,  if  ever  you  are  to  be  saved,  you  must  know 
him  ;  for  it  is  all  his  woriv  to  bring  a  poor  sinner  to  Christ.  A 
little  boy,  when  dying,  said  :  "  Three  persons  in  the  Godhead. 
God  the  Father  made  and  preserved  me ;  God  the  Son  came  into 
the  world  and  died  for  me ;  God  the  Holy  Ghost  came  into  my 
heart,  and  made  me  love  God  atod  hate  sin."  My  dear  friends,  if 
you  would  die  kappy,  you  must  be  able  to  bear  the  same  dying 
testimony.  You  know  it  is  said  in  John,  that  "  God  is  love"  This 
is  true  of  God  the  Father  in  his  giving  up  his  Son  for  sinners ;  this 
is  true  of  God  the  Son,  in  his  becoming  man  and  dying  for  sin- 
ners ;  this  is  true  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  his  whole  work  in  the 
heart  of  sinners.  At  present  I  wish  to  show  you  the  love  of  the 
Spirit,  by  observing  all  that  he  has  ever  done  for  men  in  the 
world.  To-day  I  will  show  you  his  work  at  creation ;  at  the 
flood  ;  in  the  wilderness. 

I.  At  creation :  "  The  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of 
the  waters." — Gen.  i.,  2.  The  expression  is  taken  from  a  dove 
brooding  over  its  nest.  "  Thou  sendest  forth  thy  Spirit,  they  are 
created  ;  and  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the  earth." — Ps.  civ. 
Here  the  Spirit  is  said  to  have  renewed  the  face  of  the  earth. 
He  made  every  blade  of  grass  to  spring,  every  flower  to  open, 
every  tree  to  put  forth  blossoms.  "  By  his  Spirit  he  hath  gar- 
nished the  heavens." — Job.  xxvi.,  13.  Here  God  does,  as  it  were, 
lead  us  forth  to  look  upon  the  midnight  sky  ;  and  when  we  gaze 
upon  its  spangled  maze,  studded  with  brilliant  stars,  he  tells  us 
that  it  was  the  loving  Spirit  that  gave  them  all  their  brightness 
and  their  beauty.  Observe,  then,  that  whatever  beauty  there  is 
in  the  glassy  sea,  in  the  green  earth,  or  in  the  spangled  sky,  it 
is  all  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  God  the  Father  willed  all, 
God  the  Son  created  all,  God  the  Holy  Ghost  garnished,  and  gave 
life  and  loveliness  to  all.  Oh  !  what  a  lovely  world  that  unfallen 
world  must  have  been,  when  God  the  Son  walked  with  Adam  in 
Paradise,  when  God  the  Holy  Ghost  watered  and  renewed  the 
whole  every  moment,  when  God  the  Father  looked  down  well 
pleased  on  all,  and  said  that  all  was  very  good. 

Learn,  1.  The  love  of  the  Spirit. — He  did  not  think  it  beneath 


SERMON    XXXVII.  225 

his  care  to  beautify  the  dwelling-place  of  man.  He  wanted  our 
joy  to  be  full.  He  did  not  think  it  enough  that  we  had  a  world 
to  Uve  in,  but  he  made  the  waters  full  of  life  and  beauty.  He 
made  every  green  thing  to  spring  for  man,  and  made  a  shining 
canopy  above,  all  for  the  joy  of  man.  Whatever  beauty  still 
remains  on  earth,  or  sea,  or  sky,  it  is  the  trace  of  his  Almighty 
finger.  You  should  never  look  on  the  beauties  of  the  world  with- 
out thinking  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  moved  upon  the  face  of  the 
waters,  that  renewed  the  face  of  the  earth,  that  garnished  the  hea- 
vens with  stars. 

2.  The  holiness  of  the  Spirit. — From  the  very  beginning  he 
was  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.  It 
was  a  sinless  world.  The  sea  had  never  been  defiled  by  bearing 
wicked  men  upon  its  bosom.  The  green  earth  had  never  been 
trodden  by  the  foot  of  a  sinner.  The  spangled  sky  had  never 
been  looked  upon  by  the  eye  of  one  whose  eye  is  full  of  adultery, 
and  cannot  cease  from  sin.  It  was  a  holy,  holy,  holy  world,  a 
temple  of  the  living  God,  the  lofty  mountains  were  the  pillars  of  it ; 
the\glittering  heavens  its  canopy.  The  far-resounding  ocean 
sang^diis  praise.  The  hills  brake  forth  into  singing,  and  all  the 
trees  of  the  field  clapped  their  hands.  As  the  cloud  which  so 
filled  Solomon's  temple  that  the  priests  could  not  stand  to 
minister  by  reason  of  the  cloud  ;  so  the  Holy  Spirit  filled  this 
world,  a  holy,  sinless  temple  to  the  Father's  praise.  When  man 
fell  into  sin,  and  the  very  ground  was  cursed  for  his  sake,  then 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  great  measure  left  his  temple  ;  he  could  not 
dwell  with  sin.  And  never  do  you  find  him  coming  back,  as 
before,  till  he  lighted  on  the  head  of  a  sinless  Saviour  ;  for  the 
Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  him  like  a  dove,  and  abode  upon  him. 

Just  so  is  it  with  the  soul— As  long  as  your  soul  is  guilty, 
polluted,  vile,  in  the  sight  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  make  his  abode 
in  your  heart.  He  is  a  loving  Spirit,  full  of  a  tender  desire  to 
make  you  holy.  But  as  long  as  you  are  guilty  in  his  sight,  it  is 
contrary  to  his  nature  that  he  should  dwell  in  you.  But  come  to 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  sinner ;  come  to  the  blood  that  makes  you 
white  as  snow,  then  will  the  Spirit  see  no  iniquity  in  you,  and  he 
will  come  and  dwell  in  your  heart,  as  he  dwelt  at  first  in  the  sin- 
less world.  As  he  moved  on  the  face  of  the  waters,  like  a  dove 
over  its  nest,  so  he  will  make  his  nest  in  your  heart,  and  brood 
there.  As  he  renewed  the  face  of  the  ground,  so  will  he  renew 
your  heart.  As  he  garnished  the  heavens,  so  will  he  beautify 
your  soul,  till  he  make  you  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 

II.  At  the  flood.---"  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man. 
for  that  he  also  is  flesh  (fading) :  yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred 
and  twenty  years." — Gen.  vi.,  3.  What  a  different  scene  we  have 
here  !  Yet  here  also  we  shall  learn  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a  lov- 
ing Spirit,  At  the  creation  we  found  him  beautifying  the  world, 
15 


226  SERMON    XXXVII. 

dwelling  in  it  as  in  a  temple ;  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  sky,  all  pro- 
clainiing  that  it  was  a  sinless  world.  But  now  fifteen  hundred 
years  had  passed  away,  and  the  whole  earth  was  covered  with  a 
race  of  godless  men,  giants  in  body  and  giants  in  wickedness. 

"  God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and  it  was  corrupt." — It  was  all 
one  putrid  mass.  "  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  to  the  crown  of  the 
head  there  was  no  soundness  in  it ;"  for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his 
way.  Just  as  a  putrid  body  is  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  man,  so 
the  earth  was  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  God.  Nay,  more ;  the 
earth  was  filled  with  violence.  The  few  children  of  God  that  re- 
mained were  hated  and  persecuted,  hunted  like  the  partridge  on 
the  mountains.  It  repented  the  Lord  that  he  had  made  man,  and 
it  grieved  him  at  his  heart.  How  is  the  Holy  Spirit  engaged  ? 
Ans.  1.  He  does  not  dwell  with  sinful  men.  He  cannot  dwell 
with  unpardoned  sinners ;  for  he  is  the  Holy  Spirit.  2.  But  still 
he  strives  with  men,  and  strives  to  the  very  end.  The  men  were 
giants  in  sin.  Every  imagination  of  their  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually. But  this  is  the  very  reason  he  strives.  He  sees  the  flood 
that  is  coming,  he  sees  the  hell  that  is  beneath  them  ;  therefore 
does  he  strive.  In  the  preaching  of  Noah  he  pleaded  with  them  ; 
he  pricked  their  hearts,  made  them  think  of  their  danger,  their  sin, 
their  misery.  In  the  preparing  the  ark  he  pleaded  with  them, 
showed  them  the  way  of  safety,  and  said  :  "  Yet  there  is  room." 
He  made  every  stroke  of  the  hammer  go  to  their  hearts.  •'  The 
Spirit  and  the  Bride  said,  Come." 

Learn,  1.  That  he  is  a  striving  Spirit. — O  !  let  those  of  you  that 
are  living  in  sin,  learn  what  a  loving  Spirit  is  now  striving  with 
you.  Some  of  you,  who  are  living  in  sin,  think  that  God  is  nothing 
but  an  angry  God  ;  therefore  you  do  not  turn  to  him.  True,  "  he 
is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day ;"  still  he  is  striving  with  the 
wicked  every  day.  He  sends  the  Holy  Spirit  to  strive  with 
you.  Oh  !  what  a  loving  Spirit  he  is,  that  does  not  at  once 
turn  you  into  hell,  but  pleads  and  strives,  saying  :  ''  Turn  ye,  turn  ' 
ye  ;  why  will  ye  die?" 

Some  may  say  :  I  am  a  giant  in  wickedness,  I  am  corrupt,  I  am 
violent  against  God's  children.  True  ;  yet  still  see  here  how  he 
strove  with  giants  in  wickedness.  The  whole  earth  was  corrupt, 
and  filled  with  violence ;  yet  he  strove.  So  he  strives  with  you 
in  whatever  state  you  are.  He  is  a  loving  Spirit.  Pie  strives  by 
ministers,  Bibles,  providences.  Sometimes,  when  you  are  all  alone, 
that  Spirit  wrestles  with  you,  brings  your  sin  to  remembrance,  and 
makes  you  tremble  ;  or,  like  the  angels  at  Sodom,  strives  to  make 
you  flee  from  destruction.  Oh  !  what  love  is  here,  to  strive  with 
hell-deserving  worms.  "  Oh  !  ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircumciscd  in 
heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost:  as  your 
fathers  did,  so  do  ye." 

2.  A  long-suffering  Spirit. — One  hundred  and  twenty  years  he 
strove  with  the  men  before  the  flood.     He  never  ceased  till  the 


SERMON    XXXVII.  227 

flood  came.  Some  of  you  remember  a  time  when  God's  Spirit 
was  striving  with  you  at  the  Sabbath  school,  or  your  first  sacra- 
ment. You  wept  for  your  soul,  and  prayed  ;  but  the  world  has 
come  on  you  since  then,  and  now  you  fear  he  strives  no  more. 
Learn,  he  is  a  long-suffering  Spirit,  he  strives  with  you  yet.  "  He 
that  hath  ears,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  Churches." 
3.  He  will  not  always  strive. — Observe,  the  Spirit  strove  till  the 
flood  came,  but  no  longer ;  for  the  flood  came,  and  carried  them 
all  away.  So  it  is  with  you,  my  dear  friends.  As  long  as  our 
ministry  hsts,  he  strives  with  you  ;  but  when  death  comes,  or 
when  the  Saviour  comes,  he  will  strive  no  more.  Ah  !  you  will 
have  no  awakening,  inviting,  striving  sermons  in  hell,  not  one  in- 
vitation more.  Oh  !  how  sad  it  is  to  think  that  so  many,  who  have 
the  Spirit  of  God  striving  with  them,  should  perish  after  all. 

III.  In  the  wilderness. — Nearly  one  thousand  years  after  the 
flood,  we  find  God  choosing  a  peculiar  people  to  himself,  and  keep- 
ing them  separate  from  all  people,  in  the  wilderness.  Here  the 
Spirit  shows  himself  still  more  as  the  loving  Spirit. 

1.  The  glorijier  of  Christ. — Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  by  his  guid- 
ance, make  the  tabernacle,  the  mercy  seat,  the  altar,  the  high 
priest's  garments. — Exod.  xxxi.,  1-11.  All  these  typify  Christ. 
The  Spirit  here  enables  these  men  to  show  forth  the  Saviour  to 
the  many  thousands  of  Israel.  Although  they  often  vexed  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  grieved  him  in  the  desert,  yet,  see  here  how  lov- 
ingly he  sets  forth  Christ  in  the  midst  of  them,  that  he  may  lead 
them  to  peace  and  holiness  !  This  is  exactly  what  Christ  said  of 
him  afterwards :  "  He  shall  glorify  me ;  for  he  shall  receive  of 
mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you." 

Dear  friends,  has  the  Spirit  glorified  Christ  to  you?  He  is  still 
the  great  revealer  of  Christ.  He  shines  into  our  heart,  to  give  us 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
Christ.  Has  he  led  you  to  the  altar,  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  ?  Has  he  clothed  you  in  the 
high  priest's  garments  ?  Has  he  brought  you  within  the  veil,  to 
the  mercy  seat?  This  is  his  delightful  work.  Oh  !  it  is  a  sweet 
work  to  be  the  minister  on  earth  that  leads  souls  to  Christ,  that 
points,  like  John,  and  says  :  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God."  But  O 
how  infinitely  more  loving  in  that  Holy  Spirit  of  God  to  lead 
trembling  souls  to  Jesus !  Oh  !  praise  him  that  has  done  this  for 
you.  Oh  !  love  the  Spirit  of  God.  "  Thy  Spirit  is  good  :  lead  me 
to  the  land  of  uprightness." 

2.  He  purifies  all  that  believe :  "  Thou  shalt  set  the  laver 
between  the  tent  of  the  congregation  and  the  altar."  Exod.  xl., 
6,  7.  This  brazen  laver,  containing  water,  was  set  up  in  the 
wilderness  to  typify  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  observe  the  place  where 
it  was  put,  between  the  altar  and  the  tabernacle  of  God.  The 
first  thing  that  the   sinner  came  up  to   was  the  altar  with  the 


22S  ,  SERMON    XXXVII. 

bleeding  Iamb.  He  laid  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  lamb, 
and  confessed  his  sins ;  so  that  they  were  carried  all  away  in  the 
blood  of  the  lamb.  Forgiven  and  justified,  he  advanced  a  few 
paces  further  to  the  brazen  laver ;  there  he  washed  his  feet  and 
hands.  This  represented  the  Holy  Spirit  washing  and  renewing 
his  heart,  and  then  he  entered  into  the  holy  place  of  God. 

"  Whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for 
our  learning,  that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, might  have  hope."  Dear  friends,  has  the  Holy  Spirit  purified 
you?  If  you  have  laid  your  sins  upon  the  Lamb  of  God,  have 
you  come  to  this  laver  of  living  water?  are  you  really  washing 
there,  and  preparing  to  enter  into  the  holy  place,  made  without 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens  ?  "  Without  holiness  no  man  can 
see  the  Lord ;"  and  without  the  Spirit  you  will  have  no  holiness. 
Oh !  is  he  not  a  loving  spirit  who  thus  delights  to  prepare  the  be- 
liever for  glory,  who  comes  into  our  vile  heart,  and  "  creates  a 
clean  heart,  and  renews  a  right  spirit  within  us  ?"  Oh  !  love  him 
who  thus  loves  you ;  and  ask  for  him,  you  that  are  his  children. 
The  Father  delights  to  give  him.  ""If  ye,  being  evil,  know  how 
to  give  good  gifts  to  your  children,  m«ch  more  will  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?" 

3.  He  upholds  the  life  of  believers :  "  They  all  drank  of  that 
Rock  which  followed  them  ;  and  that  Rock  was  Christ."  1  Cor. 
X.,  4.  This  was  a  third  way  in  which  the  Spirit  showed  himself 
in  the  wilderness.  (1.)  A  river.  This  was  to  show  Israel  how 
refreshing  and  supporting  he  is  to  the  weary  soul,  and  that  there 
is  abundance  in  him.  Drink,  and  drink  again ;  you  will  not  drink 
a  river  dry  ;  so  there  is  infinite  fulness  of  the  Spirit.  (2.)  Flowing 
from  a  smitten  rock.  This  shows  that  he  is  given  by  a  wounded 
Saviour ;  that  it  is  only  when'we  hide  in  that  Rock  that  we  can 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  I  will  send  him  unto  you."  (3.)  It 
folloived  them.  This  was  to  show  that,  wherever  a  believer  goes, 
the  Holy  Spirit  goes  with  him.  "  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he 
will  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for 
ever ;"  a  well  within,  springing  up  into  everlasting  life. 

My  dear  friends,  have  you  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  since  you 
believed  ?  It  appears  to  me  that  few  Christians  realize  this  river 
flowing  after  them.  Oh  !  what  inexpressible  love  and  grace  there 
is  in  this  work  of  the  Spirit.  Is  there  any  of  you  weak  and  faint, 
and  ready  to  perish  under  a  wicked  heart,  and  raging  lusts  ?  or, 
have  you  got  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  a  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet 
you  ?  and  are  you  driven  to  pray  that  it  may  be  taken  from  you  ? 
See  here  the  answer  to  your  prayer.  A  river  of  living  water 
flows  from  Christ.  There  is  enough  here  for  all  your  wants. 
"  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee ;  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect 
in  weakness."  Some  of  you  are  afraid  of  the  future ;  you  fear 
some  approaching  temptation ;  you  fear  some  coming  contest. 
See  here  the  river  flows  after  you ;  the  Spirit  will  abide  with  you 


SERMON    XXXVIII.  229 

for  ever.  Oh  !  what  love  is  here  !  Notwithstanding  all  your  sin- 
fulness, and  weakness,  and  unbelief,  still  he  abides  with  you,  and 
will  for  ever.  He  is  "  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlas- 
ting life."     John  iv,,  14. 

Oh!  love  the  Spirit,  then,  who  so  loves  you.  Grieve  not  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  you  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
redemption. 

St.  Peter's,  Dec.  16,  1838. 


SERMON  XXXVIII. 


MOSES    AND    HOBAB. 


"  And  Moses  said  unto  Hobab  the  Son  of  Raguel,  the  Midianite,  Moses'  father-in- 
law,  We  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it 
you  :  come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good  :  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
good  concerning  Israel." — Numb,  x.,29. 

The  children  of  Israel  had  been  nearly  a  year  encamped  in  the 
wilderness  that  surrounds  the  rocky  peaks  of  Mount  Sinai.  But 
now  the  cloud  rose  from  off  the  tabernacle — the  signal  that  God 
wished  them  to  depart — and  so  Israel  prepared  for  the  march  in 
regular  order.  Upon  a  rocky  eminence,  that  overlooked  the  mar- 
shalled thousands  of  Israel,  stood  Moses  and  his  brother-in-law, 
Hobab.  The  heart  of  Moses  grew  full  at  the  sight,  when  he 
looked  upon  their  banners  floating  in  the  wind,  when  he  looked 
at  the  pillar-cloud  towering  over  them  like  some  tall  angel  beck- 
oning them  away,  when  he  thought  of  God's  good  words  concern- 
ing Israel,  and  the  good  land  to  which  they  were  hastening.  He 
felt  that  his  loins  were  girt  with  truth,  and  on  his  head  the  helmet 
of  salvation,  and  in  his  hand  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.  He  could 
not  bear  that  any  he  loved  should  leave  them  now  ;  and,  therefore, 
while  Hobab  stood  lingering,  uncertain  which  way  to  go,  Moses 
spake  thus :  "  We  are  journeying  toward  the  place  of  which  the 
Lord  hath  said, I  will  give  it  you:  come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will 
do  thee  good." 

Such  are  the  feelings  of  God.  Whenever  a  soul  is  brought  to 
Jesus  Christ,  to  wash  in  his  blood  and  to  stand  in  his  righteousness, 
he  is  brought  to  feel  two  things  :  first,  That  now  he  is  journeying 
to  a  good  land,  his  sins  are  blotted  out,  the  Spirit  is  within  him, 
God  is  his  guide,  heaven  is  before  him  ;  second,  He  wishes  all  he 
loves  to  come  along  with  him. 

Doctrine. — The  children  of  God  are  on  a  journey,  and  wish  all 
they  love  to  come  along  with  them. 

I.  This  world  is  not  the  home  of  a  Christian. 


230  SERMON    XXXVIII. 

When  Israel  was  travelling  through  the  wilderness,  they  did 
not  count  it  their  home.  Sometimes  they  came  to  bitter  places, 
like  Marah,  where  the  waters  were  bitter ;  they  would  not  rest 
there.  Sometimes  they  came  to  sweet,  refreshing  places,  like 
Elim,  with  its  seventy  palm  trees  and  twelve  wells  of  water;  and 
yet  they  would  not  sit  down  and  say  :  "  This  is  my  rest."  It  was 
sweet  when  the  manna  fell  round  the  camp  every  morning,  and 
when  the  water  followed  them ;  yet  it  was  a  wilderness,  and  a 
land  of  drought,  and  the  shadow  of  death.  "  We  are  journeying," 
said  Moses.  So  is  this  world  to  a  true  Christian,  it  is  not  a  home. 
Sometimes  he  meets  with  bitter  things — disappointments,  losses, 
bereavements — and  he  calls  the  waters  Marah  ;  for  they  are  bit- 
ter. Sometimes,  too,  he  comes  to  refreshing  spots,  hke  Elim ; 
yet  he  does  not  rest  in  them. 

1.  There  are  the  sweet  joys  of  home  and  of  kindred,  when  the 
family  ring  is  still  unbroken,  when  not  a  chair  is  empty  by  the 
hearth,  when  not  a  link  is  wanting  in  the  chain,  when  not  even  a 
lamb  is  carried  off  from  the  flock.  These  are  very  pleasant  and 
lovely  to  the  child  of  God ;  yet  he  does  not,  he  cannot,  rest  in 
them.  He  hears  a  voice  saying:  "Arise,  depart,  this  is  thy  rest; 
for  it  is  polluted." 

2.  Christian  friends  are  sweet  to  the  Christian. — Those  that 
are  sharers  of  our  spiritual  secrets,  those  who  mingle  prayer  with 
us  before  the  throne,  those  who  never  forget  us  when  within  the 
veil — oh,  there  is  something  cheering  in  the  very  light  of  their 
kindly  eye  !  It  is  an  intercourse  of  which  the  w^orld  knows  no- 
thing. We  have  them  in  our  heart,  inasmuch  as  they  are  partak- 
ers of  one  grace,  washed  in  one  fountain,  filled  with  the  same 
Spirit,  having  one  heart,  members  one  of  another ;  yet  our  rest  is 
not  among  these.  This  is  a  taste  of  heaven,  but  not  heaven. 
They  often  disappoint  us,  go  back  and  become  colder,  or  they  are 
taken  from  us  before,  and  leave  us  to  journey  on  alone.  "  We 
are  journeying." 

3.  Ordinances  are  sweet  to  the  Christian. — They  are  the  manna 
and  the  waters  in  the  wilderness,  the  rain  that  fills  the  pools  in 
the  Valley  of  Baca.  How  sweet  is  the  Sabbath  morning  !  The 
sun  shines  more  brightly  than  on  any  other  day.  How  amiable 
are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  !  the  singing  of  psalms,  how  plea- 
sant !  the  prayers,  how  solemn,  when  we  stand  within  the  veil ! 
the  doctrine,  how  it  distils  like  the  dew !  the  blessing,  how  full  of 
peace  !  the  sacraments  especially,  how  sweet  to  the  Christian — 
wells  of  salvation.  Bethels,  trysting-places  with  Christ !  what 
sweet  days  of  pleasure,  love,  and  covenanting  with  Jesus.  Still 
not  our  home,  not  our  rest.  (1.)  They  are  defective  ;  always 
something  human  about  them  to  mar  the  sweetest  ordinances. 
There  is  a  bunch  of  grapes,  but  oh  !  it  is  not  er.ough  to  satisfy. 
(2.)  They  are  polluted ;  always  some  fly  to  spoil  the  fragrant 


SERMON    XXXVIII.  "  231 

ointment ;  ahva3's  so  much  sin  in  the  minister  and  in  the  hearer. 
*'  We  are  journeying  unto  the  place." 

Learn,  1.  To  look  with  a  traveller'' s  eye  upon  the  world. — When 
a  traveller  is  journeying,  he  sees  many  fine  estates,  and  beautiful 
houses,  and  lawns  and  gardens  ;  but  he  does  not  set  his  heart  on 
them.  He  admires,  and  passes  on.  So  must  you  do,  dear  Chris- 
tians. Ye  are  a  little  flock,  travelling  through  the  wilderness. 
Twine  not  your  affections  round  any  one  thing  here.  Do  not  set 
your  affections  on  home,  or  on  kindred,  or  houses,  or  lands.  Be 
like  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  who  lived  in  tents,  declaring 
plainly  that  they  sought  a  better  country.  "  If"  ye  be  risen 
with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sit- 
teth."  "  Set  your  affections  on  things  above,  not  on  the  things  of 
the  earth." 

Learn,  2.  Not  to  mourn  over  the  loss  of  Christian  friends,  as 
those  who  have  no  hope.  Some  of  you  have  lost  little  children, 
who  died  in  the  Lord.  Some  of  you  have  lost  near  friends,  who 
fell  asleep  in  Jesus.  Some  of  you  have  lost  aged  parents,  who 
have  committed  their  spirit  into  the  hand  of  Jesus.  Now,  you 
cannot  but  weep ;  and  yet,  if  they  were  in  Christ,  you  need  not. 
They  have  got  to  their  journey's  end,  and  we  are  on  the  way. 
A  voice  seems  to  rise  from  their  grave,  saying :  "  Weep  not  for 
me,  but  weep  for  yourselves  and  your  children."  They  are  at 
rest,  and  '*  we  are  journeying." 

II.  The  Christian's  home  is  nearer  every  step. — When  Israel 
was  travelling  the  wilderness,  they  came  nearer  to  the  good  land 
every  step  they  took.  They  had  a  long  wilderness  to  pass  through, 
still  every  day's  journey  brought  them  nearer  to  the  end.  So  it 
is  with  all  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  Every  step  is  bringing  them 
nearer  to  heaven.  Every  day  they  are  coming  nearer  and  nearer 
to  glory.  "  Nov/  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep  ;  for  now 
is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed."  "  The  ni^ht  is 
far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand."  Every  sheep  that  is  really  found, 
and  on  the  shoulder  of  the  shepherd,  is  coming  nearer  to  the  hea- 
venly fold  every  day.  Every  soul  that  is  carried  on  the  wings  of 
the  eagle  is  flying  towards  the  rest  that  remaineth.  The  hours 
fly  fast;  but  as  fast  flies  that  divine  eagle.  In  running  a  race, 
every  step  brings  you  nearer  to  the  end  of  it,  nearer  to  the  prize 
and  the  crown. 

Question. — Are  you  fitter  for  heaven  every  day  1  Ah  I  my 
dear  Christians,  I  tremble  for  some  of  you  who  are  on  your  way 
to  glory,  and  yet  are  not  turning  fitter  for  glory.  Oh  !  that  you 
would  forget  the  things  that  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to  those 
that  are  before,  press  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Some  of  you  are  just  beginning 
the  journey  to  heaven.  Dear  little  children,  wax  stronger  ana 
stronger ;  pray  more,  read  more,  hear  more,  love  more,  do  more 


232  SERMON    XXXVIII. 

every  day.  Let  your  sense  of  sin  grow,  like  the  roots  of  trees, 
downwards,  deeper  and  deeper.  Let  your  faith  grow,  like  the 
branch  of  the  vine,  stronger  and  stronger  every  year.  Let  your 
peace  grow,  Uke  a  river,"broader  and  broader.  "  We  are  jour- 
neying." 

1.  So7ne  are  wellnigh  through  the  wilderness. — Some  of  you  are 
on  the  top  of  Pisgah.  The  time  draws  nigh  when  you  must  die. 
Dear  aged  Christians,  how  soon  your  eyes  will  see  Him  whom, 
having  not  seen,  you  love  !  How  soon  your  heart  will  love  Him 
as  you  wish  to  do  !  How  soon  you  will  grieve  him  no  more  for 
ever  !  Do  not  be  afraid,  but  meekly  rejoice.  Live  more  above 
the  world  ;  care  less  for  its  pleasures.  Speak  plainer  to  your 
friends,  saying,  "  Come  ye  with  us."  Be  oftener  within  the  veil. 
Soon  you  shall  be  a  pillar,  and  go  no  more  out. 

2.  Unconverted. — You  are  nearer  hell  every  day.  You,  too, 
are  journeying  to  the  place  of  which  God  hath  said :  "  I  will  give 
it  you."  "  For  the  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable, 
and  murderers,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and  idolaters, 
and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death." 

Oh  !  stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think.  Wherever  you  ai-e,  and 
whatever  you  are  engaged  in,  you  are  travelling  thither.  The 
most  go  in  at  the  wide  gate.  When  you  are  sleeping,  you  are 
posting  thither.  When  you  take  a  journey  of  pleasure,  you  are 
still  advancing  on  that  other  journey.  When  you  are  laughing 
and  talking,  or  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  your  sin,  you  are  still  hur- 
rying on.  You  have  never  stopped  since  you  began  to  live.  You 
never  stand  a  moment  to  take  breath.  You  are  nearer  hell  this 
afternoon  than  in  the  forenoon.  O  stop  and  think  !  "  Come  thou 
with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good." 

III.  This  journey  is  the  great  concern  of  a  Christian. — Their 
journey  was  the  great  concern  of  Israel.  They  did  not  care 
much  for  doing  anything  else.  They  did  not  take  to  another  oc- 
cupation. When  they  came  to  a  green  spot,  they  did  not  take  to 
the  plough,  to  try  and  cultivate  it.  Their  journey  was  their 
great  concern.  So  it  should  be  with  those  of  you  who  are  children 
of  God.  Your  journey  to  heaven  should  be  your  great  concern. 
Dear  friends,  judge  of  everything  in  this  way,  whether  it  will 
help  you  on  your  journey  or  no.  In  choosing  a  profession,  or 
trade,  choose  it  with  regard  to  this.  Will  it  advance  or  hinder 
your  heavenward  journey  ?  Will  it  lead  you  into  sore  tempta- 
tions, or  into  wicked  company  ?  Oh  !  take  heed.  What  is  the 
use  of  living,  but  only  to  get  on  in  our  journey  to  heaven  ? 
Choose  your  abode  with  regard  to  this.  Christian  servants, 
choose  your  place  with  regard  to  this.  Remember  Lot.  He 
chose  the  plain  of  Jordan,  because  it  was  well  watered  ;  but 
his  soul  was  all  but  withered  there.     In  choosing  connexions  or 


SERMON    XXXVIII.  233 

friends,  O  choose  with  regard  to  this — will  they  help  or  hinder 
your  prayers  ?  will  they  go  with  you,  and  help  you  on  your 
journey  ?  or  will  they  be  a  drag  upon  your  wheels  ?  In  going 
into  companies,  in  reading  books,  choose  with  regard  to  this — 
Will  they  fill  your  sails  for  heaven  ?  If  not,  go  not  near  them. 
In  yielding  to  your  affections,  especially  if  you  find  them  hin- 
dering your  journey,  drop  them  instantly.  Never  mind  the  con- 
sequences. "  If  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off,  and  cast 
it  from  thee.  It  is  better  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having 
two  hands  to  be  cast  into  hell  fire."  "  Wherefore,  let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset  us, 
and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking 
unto  Jesus." 

IV.  All  true  Christians  wish  others  to  journey  along  with  them  : 
"  Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good."  So  it  was  with 
Mo,ses.  Hobab  had  been  his  friend  for  forty  years,  in  the  land  of 
Midian,  where  Moses  married  his  sister,  and  lived  in  his  father 
Raguel's  house.  In  that  time,  I  doubt  not,  Moses  had  told  him 
much  of  Israel's  God  and  Israel's  coming  glory.  Many  a  time, 
while  they  fed  their  flocks  in  this  very  wilderness,  Moses  had 
reasoned  with  him  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to 
come,  till  Hobab  trembled.  Still  it  would  seem  Hobab  was  not 
quite  convinced.  He  doubted — he  lingered.  He  had  been  awed 
by  the  terrors  of  Sinai,  but  not  won  by  the  love  of  Calvary.  He 
did  not  know  whether  to  go  or  stay.  But  the  hour  of  decision 
came.  He  must  decide  now.  Now  was  the  heart  qf  Moses 
stirred  in  him  :  "  Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good  ; 
for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel."  So  it  was  with 
Paul,  when  he  himself  had  tasted  the  joy  and  peace  of  believing; 
then  says  he :  "  My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is, 
that  they  might  be  saved."  So  it  was  with  Andrew :  "  Andrew 
first  findeth  his  own  brother  Simon,  and  saith  unto  him.  We  have 
found  the  Christ."  So  it  was  with  the  poor  nianiac  whom  Jesus 
healed:  "Go  home,  tell  thy  friends  how  great  things  the  Lord 
hath  done  for  thee,  and  how  he  hath  had  compassion  on  thee." 
So  it  was  with  the  poor  slave  in  Antigua,  who  used  to  pray  that 
there  might  be  a  full  heaven  and  an  empty  hell. 

Question. — Is  it  so  with  you  ?  Have  you  asked  your  friends  to 
come  with  you  1  Have  you  a  father  whom  you  love — a  mother 
that  carried  you  at  her  breast  ?  Have  you  a  brother  or  a  sister  ? 
Are  they  lingering  like  Hobab  1  Oh  !  will  you  not  put  in  a  word 
for  Christ,  and  say :  "Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee 
good."  Have  you  a  friend  whom  you  love  much — who  knows 
nothing  of  Christ  and  of  God — who  is  willing  to  die  in  the  wilder- 
ness ?  Oh  !  will  you  not  win  him  to  go  with  you  to  Israel's  God 
and  Israel's  glory  ? 

Word  to  lingering  souls. — Some  of  you,  like  Hobab,  are  half 


234  SERMON    XXXIX 

persuaded  to  go  with  Israel.  "  Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be 
a  Christian,"  Some  of  you  sec  your  children  converted,  and  you 
not ;  and  yet  you  are  not  determined  to  go  with  them.  Oh  !  why 
halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?     Go  with  them  now. 

Observe,  1.  This  may  he  the  decidiyig  day. — It  was  so  with 
Hobab.  God  is  pleading  hard  with  you  to-day.  He  has  spoken 
to  you  by  most  solemn  providences — by  the  Bible,  by  his  minis- 
ters, and  by  the  tender  persuading  voice  of  those  you  love. 
"  Come  thou  with  us."  "  Choose  yon  this  day,  then,  whom  you 
will  serve."  Remember  this  may  be  the  deciding  day :  to-morrow 
it  may  be  too  late. 

2.  You  loill  share  in  their  joys  : — "  We  will  do  thee  good." 
What  makes  them  so  anxious  for  you  to  go  with  them,  if  it  be  not 
for  your  good  ?  You  know  they  love  you  tenderly  ;  they  would 
not  have  a  hair  of  your  head  hurt.  You  will  taste  their  forgive- 
ness— their  peace  with  God — their  joy  in  the  Word  and  prayer ; 
you  will  know  their  God  ;  you  will  know  their  heaven.  Oh  !  that 
God  would  put  it  into  your  heart  to  cleave  to  them  like  Ruth  to 
Naomi,  saying :  "  Whither  thou  goest  I  will  go  ;  and  where  thou 
lodgest  I  will  lodge  ;  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God 
my  God." 

St.  Peter's,  July  22,  1838. 


SERMON  XXXIX. 


COMFORT    YE. 


"Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye  comfortably  to 
Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her,  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity 
is  pardoned  :  for  she  hath  received  of  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins." — 
Isa.  xl.,  1,  2. 

These  words  are  a  blast  of  the  silver  trumpet  of  the  Gospel. 
Blessed  are  the  people  that  know  the  joyful  sound.  They  are  like 
the  words  of  the  angel  at  Bethlehem  ;  "  I  bring  you  good  tidings 
of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people."  This  is  the  voice  of 
the  shepherd,  which  all  his  flock  know  and  love. 

I.  Believers  have  received  double  punishment  for  all  their  sins  : 
"  She  hath  received  of  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins." — 
Verse  2.  There  are  two  ways  in  which  sinners  may  bear  the 
punishment  of  their  sins. 

1.  In  themselves — On  their  own  body  and  soul  for  ever.  This 
is  the  way  in  which  all  unconverted  men,  who  finally  perish,  will 
bear  their  sins.  "  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment."    "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire."    Not 


SERMON   XXXIX.  235 

that  they  will  be  able  to  bear  their  punishment  :  "  My  punish- 
ment is  greater  than  I  can  bear."  "  The  ^reat  day  of  his  wrath 
is  come,  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ?"  They  shall  say  to 
one  another,  "  Who  among  us  can  dwell  with  the  devouring 
flame  ?  Who  among  us  can  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  ?" 
And  God  will  say  :  "  Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  thine  hands  be 
strong,  in  the  day  that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?"  This .  is  not 
the  way  spoken  of  in  the  text ;  for,  (1.)  It  would  be  a  message 
of  woe,  and  not  of  comfort — Woe,  woe,  woe,  and  not  Comfort 
ye,  comfort  ye.  When  God  really  takes  in  hand  to  punish  sin- 
ners, there  will  be  no  comfort  in  that  day.  The  heart  of  sinners 
will  sink  under  insupportable  gloom.  (2.)  Sinners  never  can  bear 
double  in  themselves.  When  a  poor  sinner  dies  Christless  and 
goes  to  bear  the  punishment  of  his  sins,  he  never  can  bear 
enough.  He  has  sinned  against  an  infinite  God  ;  and  his  punish- 
ment, if  it  be  just,  must  be  infinite — his  stripes  must  be  eternal — 
the  gnawing  worm  must  never  die — the  burning  flame  must 
never  be  quenched.  In  this  way,  poor  Christless  souls  can  never 
satisfy  the  justice  of  God.  God  will  never  say  it  is  enough.  He 
will  never  pour  water  on  the  flames  of  hell,  nor  send  a  drop 
to  the  parched  tongues  that  are  tormented  there.  Instead  of 
suffering  double,  they  will  never  receive  enough  at  the  Lord's 
hand  for  all  their  sins.  Oh  !  dear  friends,  it  is  easy  talking  of  this 
now  ;  but  many  of  you  will  probably  feel  it  soon. 

2.  In  Christ  the  surety. — It  is  according  to  justice,  that  sinners 
may  bear  their  sins  in  Christ  the  Surety.  (1.)  This  was  the  very 
errand  that  Christ  came  upon.  He  thought  upon  this  from  all 
eternity.  For  this  end  he  came  into  the  world — for  this  end  he 
became  man.  "  He  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree."  If  it  were  not  a  just  and  righteous  thing,  that  sinners 
should  bear  their  sins  in  another,  and  not  in  themselves,  Christ 
never  would  have  undertaken  it.  This  is  the  very  way  here 
spoken  of.  (2.)  All  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  at  the  hand  of 
his  Father  :  '"  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him  :  he  hath  put  him 
to  grief.  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all." 
We  generally  look  at  the  wicked  hands  that  crucified  and  slew 
Christ ;  but  we  must  not  forget  that  it  was  by  the  determinate 
counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  and  that  they  would  have  had 
no  power  at  all  against  him,  except  it  had  been  given  them  from 
above.  Through  all  the  crowd  of  scoffing  priests  and  bloody 
soldiers,  you  must  see  the  Lord's  hand  making  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin.  This  shows  that  Christ  is  a  Saviour  appointed  of  the 
Father.  Awakened  souls  are  afraid  of  the  avenging  hand  of  God  ; 
but  in  Christ  there  is  a  refuge.  And  you  need  notfear  but  Christ 
will  shelter  you  ;  for  there  was  an  agreement  between  them,  that 
Christ  should  suffer  these  things  for  sinners,  and  enter  into  his 
glory.  Christ  finished  the  work  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do. 
(3.)  When  sinners  take  refuge  in  Christ,  the  law  takes  its  course 


236  SERMON    XXXIX. 

against  their  sins — not  upon  their  soul,  but  upon  Christ.  All  their 
sins,  whether  they  be  many  or  few,  are  reckoned  his,  and  he  is 
made  answerable  ;  and  he  has  already  borne  double  for  them  all. 
How  was  it  just  that  Christ  should  bear  double?  Ans.  He  could 
not  suffer  at  all,  without  bearing  double  for  all  our  sins,  by  reason 
of  his  excellency  and  glory.  The  sufferings  of  Christ  for  a  time, 
were,  in  God's  eye,  double  the  eternal  suflerings  of  sinners,  by 
reason  of  the  infinite  dignity  of  his  person.  God  is  well  pleased 
for  his  righteousness'  sake  ;  for  he  magnified  the  law,  and  made 
it  honorable.  In  the  death  of  Christ,  the  angels  saw  God  to  be 
holy,  infinitely  better  than  if  all  mankind  had  perished  for  ever. 

Come  freely,  then,  to  Jesus  Christ,  O  awakened  sinner.  There 
you  will  find  a  shelter  from  the  wrath  due  to  your  sins.  Your 
sins  are,  indeed,  infinite,  and  the  wrath  of  God  intolerable  ;  but  in 
Jesus  you  may  find  safety.  He  came  upon  this  very  errand. 
You  need  not  fear  but  he  will  receive  you  ;  his  heart  and  his  arms 
are  open  for  you.  His  Father  is  willing  you  should  come.  Be 
your  sins  many  or  few,  it  is  all  one  ;  in  Christ  you  will  find  that 
they  are  all  borne,  suffered  for,  in  a  way  glorifying  to  God  and 
safe  to  you. 

II.  All  believers  are  therefore  in  a  truly  blessed  condition. 

1.  Their  iniquity  is  pardoned. — A  soul  in  Christ  is  a  pardoned 
soul.  It  matters  not  how  many  his  sins  have  been.  The  iniquity 
of  Jerusalem  was  very  great.  The  people  of  Jerusalem  had  sin- 
ned against  light  and  against  love.  All  the  prophets  had  been 
sent  them  ;  yet  they  were  stoned  or  killed.  The  Son  of  God 
came  there  ;  they  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  slew  him. 
Their  sins  had  grown  up  to  heaven  ;  yet,  no  sooner  do  they  be- 
take themselves  to  Christ  than  God  says  :  "  Her  iniquity  is  par- 
doned," And,  observe,  \st,  It  is  a  present  pardon.  He  does  not 
say.  Her  iniquity  shall  be  pardoned,  but,  "  Her  iniquity  is  pardon- 
ed." No  sooner  does  a  guilty,  heavy  laden  soul  betake  himself  to 
Christ,  than  this  sweet  word  is  heard  in  heaven  :  "  His  iniquity  is 
pardoned."  "  There  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus."  Oh  !  it  is  no  future  or  uncertain  pardon  that  is 
offered  in  the  gospel ;  but  a  sure  and  present  pardon  ;  pardon  now, 
this  instant,  to  all  who  believe  in  Jesus.  You  are  as  completely 
pardoned  in  the  moment  of  believing  as  ever  you  will  be.  Oh  ! 
haste  ye,  and  receive  pardon  from  Christ.  Oh  !  that  ye  knew  the 
day  of  your  visitation.  Observe,  2d,  It  is  a  holy  pardon.  Your 
iniquity  is  pardoned  ;  for  another  has  died  for  your  sins.  Oh  !  it 
is  an  awful  way  of  pardon.  "  There  is  forgiveness  with  God,  that 
he  may  be  feared."  It  is  a  pardon  to  make  you  tremble,  and  hate 
sin  with  a  perfect  hatred.  Oh  !  can  you  ever  love  that  which 
nailed  him  to  the  tree,  which  bowed  down  his  blessed  head  ?  Will 
you  take  up  sin  again,  and  thus  put  the  spear  afresh  into  the  side 
of  Jesus  ?     Some  say :  I  am  too  vile.     Ah !  are  you  viler  than 


SERMON   XXXIX.  237 

Jerusalem  ?  When  you  take  a  pebble,  and  cast  it  into  the  deep 
sea,  it  sinks,  and  is  entirely  covered  ;  so  are  the  sins  of  those  who 
take  refuge  in  Christ :  "  Thou  wilt  cast  all  our  sins  into  the  depths 
of  the  sea." 

2.  Their  icarfare  is  accomplished. — (1.)  With  the  law.  An 
awakened  soul  has  a  dreadful  warfare  with  the  law  of  God.  The 
law  of  God  is  revealed  to  his  conscience,  armed  with  a  flaming, 
glittering  sword.  It  demands  the  obedience  of  his  heart  and  life. 
The  sinner  tries  to  obey  it,  lie  tries  to  bring  his  life  up  to  its  re- 
quirements ;  but  in  vain.  The  law  lifts  up  its  sword  to  slay  him  ; 
it  hurls  its  curses  at  him.  This  is  a  dreadful  warfare  in  every 
awakened  conscience  ;  but  when  the  sinner  runs  into  Jesus  Christ, 
his  warfare  is  accomplished.  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong 
tower ;  the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe."  In  Christ  Jesus, 
the  demands  of  the  law  are  satisfied  ;  for  he  was  made  under  the 
law.  Its  curses  are  borne  ;  for  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us.  The 
gUttering  sword  pierced  the  side  of  Jesus.  Oh !  do  you  know 
what  it  is  to  have  this  warfare  accomplished  1  (2.)  With  the 
devil.  We  wrestle  not  with  flesh  and  blood.  An  awakened  soul 
has  often  an  awful  warfare  with  Satan.  Satan  fights  against  him 
in  two  ways  :  1*^,  By  stirring  up  his  corruptions,  and  making  his 
lusts  to  flame  and  burn  within  him  in  a  fearful  manner.  2d,  By 
accusing  him.  Satan  is  the  accuser  of  the  brethren.  He  accuses 
him  in  his  conscience,  in  order  to  drive  him  away  from  Christ,  to 
drive  him  to  despair,  and  to  give  up  all  hope  of  salvation.  He 
says  to  him  :  "  Thou  art  a  vile  wretch,  not  fit  for  a  hol}^  Saviour ; 
see  what  raging  lusts  are  in  thy  heart,  thou  wilt  never  be  saved." 
Ah  !  when  the  poor  sinner  runs  into  Christ,  he  finds  rest  there  ;  his 
warfare  is  then  accomplished.  He  sees  all  the  accusations  of  Satan 
answered  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  (3.)  With  sin.  The 
awakened  soul  has  a  dreadful  warfare  with  his  corruptions.  His 
heart  appears  just  full  of  raging  lusts,  all  tearing  him  to  pieces. 
He  is  driven  hither  and  thither  ;  but  when  he  comes  to  Christ  this 
warfare  is  accomplished.  Indeed,  in  one  sense  the  battle  is  not  over, 
but  just  begun ;  but  now  victory  is  sure.  God  is  now  for  him. 
Greater  is  He  that  is  for  him  than  all  that  can  be  against  him.  "  If 
God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  The  Spirit  of  God  is 
now  within  him  ;  he  will  abide  with  him  for  ever.  The  Spirit 
now  reigns  in  him.  Christ  now  fights  for  him,  covers  his  head 
in  the  day  of  battle,  carries  him  on  his  shoulder.  He  is  as  sure 
to  overcome  as  if  he  were  already  in  glory.  He  says  to  him : 
"  Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob :  fear  not,  for  I  have  redeemed 
thee  ;  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art  mine.  I  will 
never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee."  That  word,  never  leave  thee, 
reaches  through  the  darkest  hours  of  temptation,  the  deepest  waters 
of  affliction,  the  hottest  fires  of  persecution  ;  it  reaches  unto  death, 
through  death  and  the  grave,  into  eternity. 


238  SERMON    XXXJX. 

III.  Believers  should  take  the  comfort  of  their  condition. 

1.  God  co?nmands  it. — Some  soy,  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  be 
happy.  They  are  afraid  of  too  much  joy.  They  say,  It  is  better 
to  be  in  deep  exercises,  better  to  have  deep  wadings  ;  it  is  not 
good  to  be  of  too  joyful  a  spirit.  What  says  the  Word  of  God  ? 
"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,"  If  your  joy  flow  from  the  cross  of 
Christ,  you  cannot  have  too  much  joy.  "  Rejoice  in  tlie  Lord 
alvi^ay:  and  agnin  I  say,  Rejoice."  When  Christ  truly  rises  on 
the  soul,  he  should  be  like  a  morning  without  clouds.  If  it  be  true 
that  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was 
lost ;  if  you  see  his  freeness  and  preciousness,  I  ask,  how  can  you 
do  otherwise  than  rejoice  and  be  comforted  ?  "  Whom,  having 
not  seen,  we  love ;  in  whom,  though  now  we  see  him  not,  yet  be- 
lieving, we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  May 
the  God  of  Hope  fill  you  brimfull  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing ! 

2.  Exainine  from  whence  your  comfort  flows. — All  true  Gospel 
comfort  flows  from  the  cross  of  Christ,  from  the  Man  of  Sorrows. 
The  comfort  of  hypocrites  flows  from  themselves.  They  look  to 
themselves  for  comfort ;  they  look  to  the  change  on  their  life,  they 
see  some  improvements  there,  and  take  rest  from  that ;  or,  they 
look  deeper  to  their  concern,  their  mourning  over  sin,  their  con- 
victions, their  endeavors  after  Christ;  or,  they  look  to  their  de- 
votions, their  delight  in  prayer,  their  flowing  of  affection  and 
words ;  or  to  texts  of  the  Bible  coming  into  their  minds  ;  or,  they 
look  to  what  their  friends  or  ministers  think  of  them,  and  they  take 
comfort  from  these.  All  these  are  refuges  of  lies,  filse  Christs, 
that  must  be  cast  away,  or  they  will  ruin  your  soul.  Christ's  blood 
and  righteousness,  and  not  any  work  in  your  own  heart,  must  be 
your  justification  before  a  holy  God.  True  Gospel  comfort  comes 
from  a  sight  of  Christ's  bearing  double  for  all  our  sins.  "  Behold  y 
the  Lamb  of  God  !"  Gospel  comfort  is  a  stream  that  flows  direct/ 
from  Calvary. 

3.  See  how  false  the  comfort  of  Christ-neglecting  souls. — This 
sweet  word  of  comfort  is  only  to  those  who  are  under  the  wings 
of  Christ.  That  little  flock  alone  have  got  rest  for  their  souls. 
But  most  neglect  this  great  salvation.  You  do  not  feel  your  need 
of  an  atoning  Saviour,  you  think  you  can  justify  yourself  before 
God  ;  you  do  not  feel  your  need  of  an  almighty  Sanctifier.  Christ 
is  a  tender  plant  in  your  eyes,  you  have  not  betaken  yourself  to 
Christ.  Ah  '  my  friend,  woe  to  you.  Your  warfare  is  not  ac- 
complished. The  law,  with  its  curses  and  its  flaming  sword, 
stands  in  your  way.  Satan  also  accuses  you,  and  you  have 
nothing  to  answer  him.  Sin  rages  in  you,  and  you  have  no  power 
against  it.  Your  iniquity  is  not  pardoned,  not  one  sin  is  blotted 
out.  All  is  naked  and  laid  open  to  the  eyes  of  Him  with  whom 
you  have  to  do.  Your  comfort  is  all  a  lie,  your  peace  is  Satan's 
peace,  it  is  the  slumber  that  ends  in  perdition.  You  will  yet  bear 
Your  own  sins.     When  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  you 


SERMON    XL.  239 

will  not  be  able  to  stand.  "  Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine 
hands  be  strong,  in  the  day  that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?"  Oh  !  sirs, 
you  think  it  a  small  thing  to  be  Chrislless  this  day ;  you  can  talk 
lightly  of  it,  and  jeer  and  jest  about  it ;  you  can  sleep  soundly 
withal ;  but  there  is  a  day  coming,  when  your  bitter  cry  will  be  heard 
throughout  all  the  caverns  of  hell :  Woe  is  me  !  I  am  Christless, 
I  am  Christless  !     Amen. 


SERMON  XL. 


CAN    A    WOMAN    FORGET 


"  But  Zion  said,  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me.  Can 
a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the 
son  of  her  womb  ?  yea,  they  may  forget ;  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee." — Isaiah 
xlix.,  14,  15. 

These  words  apply,  first  of  all,  to  God's  ancient  people,  the  Jews. 
Before  their  final  conversion,  I  believe  their  eyes  will  be  opened 
to  see  their  sin  and  misery.  They  will  look  upon  him  whom 
they  have  pierced,  and  mourn.  When  they  hear  the  glorious 
oflfers  of  mercy,  they  will  not  be  able  to  believe  them :  "  Zion  will 
say,  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  God  hath  forgotten  me.'* 
But  God  will  answer  them,  that  notwithstanding  all  their  past  sins 
and  afflictions,  still  he  will  love  them,  and  be  their  God  :  "  Can  a 
woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  compas- 
sion on  the  son  of  her  womb  1  yea,  they  may  forget ;  yet  will  I 
not  forget  thee."     These  words  are  equally  true  of  all  believers. 

I.  Inquire  into  those  times  when  believers  think  themselves 
forsaken. 

1.  In  times  of  sore  affliction. — So  it  was  with  Naomi.  She  had 
lost  her  beloved  husband  and  her  two  sons  in  the  land  of  Moab. 
And  now,  when  she  returned,  leaning  on  her  daughter-in-law,  up 
the  hill  of  Bethlehem,  the  whole  town  was  moved,  and  they  said: 
"  Is  this  Naomi  ?  But  she  said  unto  them.  Call  me  not  Naomi ; 
call  me  Mara ;  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  very  bitterly  with  me.  I 
went  out  full,  and  the  Lord  hath  brought  me  home  again  empty. 
Why,  then,  call  ye  me  Naomi,  seeing  the  Lord  hath  testified 
against  me,  and  the  Almighty  hath  afflicted  me  ?"  So  with  Heze- 
kiah.  When  the  Lord  said  to  him  :  "  Set  thine  house  in  order, 
for  thou  shalt  die,  and  not  live,  Hezekiah  turned  his  face  to  the 
wall,  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  ;  and  Hezekiah  wept  sore.  Like  a 
crane  or  a  swallow  so  did  I  chatter  ;  I  did  mourn  as  a  dove ; 
mine  eyes  fail  with  looking  upward.     O  Lord,  I  am  oppressed ; 


240  SERMON    XL. 

undertake  for  me."  So  with  Job.  When  Job  lost  his  flocks  and 
herds,  and  his  ten  children  in  one  day  ;  when  his  bodily  health 
was  destroyed,  and  he  sat  down  among  the  ashes  ;  then  Job 
opened  his  mouth,  and  cursed  his  day :  "  Let  the  day  perish 
wherein  I  was  born.  Wherefore  is  light  given  to  him  that  is  in 
misery,  and  life  to  the  bitter  in  soul  ?  O  that  I  might  have  my 
request,  and  that  God  would  grant  me  the  thing  that  I  long  for : 
even  that  it  would  please  God  to  destroy  me,  that  he  would  let 
loose  his  hand,  and  cut  me  off." 

Ah  !  it  is  a  sad  thing  when  the  soul  faints  under  the  rebukes  of 
God.  They  were  intended  to  lead  you  deeper  into  Christ ;  into  a 
fuller  enjoyment  of  God.  Do  not  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of 
him.  When  a  soul  comes  to  Christ,  he  expects  to  be  led  to  hea- 
ven in  a  green,  soft  pathway,  without  a  thorn.  On  the  contrary, 
he  is  led  into  darkness  ;  poverty  stares  him  in  the  face,  or  bereave- 
ment writes  him  childless,  or  persecutions  embitter  his  life  ;  and 
now  his  soul  remembers  the  wormwood  and  the  gall.  He  forgets 
the  love  and  wisdom  that  are  dealing  v.'ith  him  ;  he  says,  "  I  am 
the  man  that  hath  seen  affliction.  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me, 
and  my  God  hath  forgotten  me." 

2.  When  they  have  fallen  into  sin.  As  long  as  a  believer  walks 
humbly  with  his  God,  his  soul  is  at  peace.  The  candle  of  the 
Lord  shines  on  his  head.  He  walks  in  the  light  as  God  is  in  the 
light,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  him  from  all 
sin.  But  the  moment  that  unbelief  creeps  in,  he  is  led  away  into 
sin ;  like  David  he  falls  very  low.  A  believer  generally  falls 
lower  than  the  world  ;  and  now  he  falls  into  darkness. 

When  Adam  fell,  he  was  afraid :  and  he  hid  himself  from  God 
among  the  trees  of  the  garden,  and  he  made  a  covering  of  leaves. 
Alas  !  when  a  believer  fiills,  he  also  is  afraid  ;  he  hides  from  God. 
Now,  he  has  lost  a  good  conscience ;  he  fears  to  meet  with  God  ; 
he  does  not  love  the  house  of  prayer ;  his  heart  is  now  filled  with 
suspicions.  If  I  had  been  a  child  of  God,  would  God  have  given 
me  up  to  my  own  heart's  lusts  ?  He  refuses  to  return.  "  There 
is  no  hope  ;  no  ;  for  I  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them  will  I 
go."  Though  God  has  never  been  a  wilderness  nor  a  land  of 
darkness  to  the  soul,  yet  he  says :  "  We  are  lords  ;  we  will  come 
no  more  unto  thee."  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  God 
hath  forgotten  me."  Ah  !  this  is  the  bitterest  of  all  kinds  of  deser- 
tion. If  you  put  away  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  you  will  make 
shipwreck. 

3.  In  time  of  desertion. — Desertion  is  God  withdrawing  from 
the  soul  of  the  believer,  so  that  his  absence  is  felt.  The  world 
knows  nothing  of  this,  and  yet  it  is  true.  God  has  ways  of 
revealing  himself  to  his  own  in  another  way  than  he  doth  to  the 
world  :  "  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and 
he  will  show  them  his  covenant.  Jesus  is  often  with  his  own. 
They  feel  his  presence,  their  hearts  burn  within  them.     They 


SERMON    XL.  241 

sometimes  feel  that  he  fulfils  that  word  ;  "  I  will  not  leave  you 
orphans  ;  I  will  come  to  you."  The  Father  is  the  refuge  of  his 
own.  They  feel  his  everlasting  arms  underneath  them,  they  feel 
his  eye  watching  over  them,  they  feel  his  love  pouring  down  upon 
them  like  a  stream  of  light  from  heaven.  The  Holy  Spirit  is 
within  them.  They  sometimes  feel  his  breathing,  they  sometimes 
feel  that  they  have  the  Spirit  within  them,  crying,  "  Abba, 
Father."  Oh  !  this  heaven  upon  earth,  full,  satisfying  joy.  Some- 
times it  pleases  God  to  withdraw  from  the  soul,  chiefly,  I  believe, 
Is^,  To  humble  us  in  the  dust ;  2d,  To  discover  some  corruption 
unmortified  ;  St/,  To  lead  us  to  hunger  more  after  him.  Such  was 
the  stale  of  David  when  he  wrote  the  42d  psalm  :  "  I  will  say 
unto  God,  my  Rock,  Why  hast  thou  forgotten  me  ?  As  with  a 
sword  in  my  bones,  mine  enemies  reproach  mc,  while  they  say 
daily  unto  me,  Where  is  thy  God  ?"  *'  As  the  hart  panteth  after 
the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God."  Ah ! 
far  more  than  the  natural  thirst  of  the  wounded  deer  for  the 
clear-flowing  brook,  is  the  spiritual  thirst  of  the  deserted  soul 
after  God.  Such  was  the  feeling  of  Job  when  he  cried  ;  "  The 
arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me  ;"  and  again  :  "  O  that  I 
knew  where  I  might  find  him  ;  O  that  it  were  with  me  as  in 
months  past !"  He  has  a  bitter  remembrance  of  his  past  enjoy- 
ment, a  bitter  sense  that  means  cannot  bring  his  soul  back  again 
to  rest.  Such  was  the  feeling  of  the  bride  :  "  By  night  on  my  bed 
I  sought  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  :  I  sought  him,  but  I  found 
him  not." — Song  iii.,  1.  Ah  !  brethren,  if  ever  you  have  known 
anything  of  this  you  will  know  the  wretched  feeling  of  distance 
from  God,  of  having  mountains  between  the  soul  and  him,  implied 
in  these  words  :  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  God  hath 
forgotten  me." 

II.  God  cannot  forget  a  soul  in  Christ :  "  Can  a  woman  for- 
get her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  hav«  compassion  on  the 
son  of  her  womb  ?  vea,  they  may  forget ;  yet  will  I  not  forget 
thee." 

1.  It  is  like  a  mother's  love. — There  is  no  love  in  this  world  like 
a  mother's  love.  It  is  a  free,  unbought,  unselfish  love.  However 
much  pain  she  has  suffered  on  her  child's  account,  however 
many  troubles  she  has  to  bear  for  it,  by  night  and  by  day,  while  it 
hangs  upon  her  breast,  still  it  is  more  precious  than  gold.  There 
is  a  something  in  her  heart  that  clings  to  her  weak,  sickly,  nay, 
even  to  her  idiot  boy.  God's  love  to  a  soul  in  Christ  is  stronger 
than  this  love.  The  Psalmist  compares  it  to  a  father's  :  "  Like  as 
a  fat«her  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear 
him."  And  Mai.  iii.,  17  :  "  I  will  spare  them  as  a  man  spareth  his 
own  son  that  serveth  him."  Again,  Isa.  Ixvi.,  13  :  "  As  one  whom 
his  mother  comforteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you." 

This  love  of  a  mother  to  her  child  is  natural  to  her.  She  can- 
16 


242  SERMON    XL. 

not  account  for  it.  You  cannot  change  it.  You  must  break  to 
pieces  the  mother's  heart  before  you  can  change  her  love  to  her 
child.  And  yet  there  are  some  poor  souls  so  disfigured  by  Satan, 
their  hearts  so  brutalized,  that  they  can  forget  their  children. 
The  Indian  mother  can  dance  over  her  infant's  grave,  and  the 
murderess  can  lift  her  hand  against  the  life  of  her  little  one  : 
"  They  may  forget ;  yet  will  1  not  forget  thee." 

The  love  of  God  to  a  soul  in  Christ  is  a  natural  love.  It  is  a 
love  engrained  in  his  nature.  The  Father  loveth  the  Son  ;  and  it 
is  the  same  love  with  which  he  loves  tlie  soul  that  is  in  Christ. 
He  cannot  forget  him.  He  loves  him  because  he  is  altogether 
lovely,  he  loves  him  because  he  is  worthy  to  be  loved,  he  loves 
him  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  the  sheep.  All  that  is  in 
God  binds  him  to  love  his  Son,  his  holiness,  his  justice,  his  truth  ; 
and  so  all  that  is  in  God  binds  him  to  love  the  soul  that  is  in 
Christ. 

Be  not  cast  down,  brethren,  in  affliction.  Deserted  souls,  God's 
love  cannot  change  unless  his  nature  change.  Not  till  God  cease 
to  be  holy,  just  and  true,  will  he  cease  to  love  the  soul  that  hides 
under  the  wings  of  Jesus. 

2.  The  Father's  love  is  full  love. — A  mother's  love  is  the  fullest 
love  which  we  have  on  earth.  She  loves  with  all  her  heart.  But 
there  is  no  love  full  but  that  of  God  toward  his  Son ;  God  loves 
Jesus  fully ;  the  whole  heart  of  the  Father  is,  as  it  were,  conti- 
nually poured  down  in  love  upon  the  Lord  Jesus.  There  is 
nothing  in  Christ  except  what  draws  the  infinite  love  of  God.  In 
him  God  sees  his  own  image  perfect,  his  own  law  acted  out,  his 
own  will  done.  The  Father  loves  the  Son  fully  ;  but  when  a  soul 
comes  into  Christ,  the  same  love  rests  on  that  soul :  "  That  the 
love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be  in  them."  John  xvii., 
26.  True,  a  creature  cannot  receive  the  love  of  God  as  Jesus 
can;  but  it  is  the  same  love  that  shines  on  us  and  him  ;  full,  sa- 
tisfying, unbounded  love.  When  the  sun  pours  down  its  beams 
on  the  wide  ocean  and  on  a  little  flower  at  the  same  time,  it  is  the 
same  sunshine  that  is  poured  into  both,  though  the  ocean  has 
vastly  larger  capacity  to  receive  its  glorious  beams ;  so,  when  the 
Son  of  God  receives  the  love  of  his  Father,  and  a  poor  guilty 
worm  hides  in  him,  it  is  the  same  love  that  comes  both  on  the 
Saviour  and  the  sinner,  though  Jesus  is  able  to  contain  more. 

How  can  God  forget  what  he  fully  loves?  If  God  fully  loves 
thee,  he  has  not  forgotten  thee  ;  he  cannot  forget  thee.  A  crea- 
ture's love  may  fail ;  for  what  is  a  creature  ?  a  clay  vessel,  a  breath 
of  wind  that  passeth  away,  and  cometh  not  again.  But  the 
Creator's  love  cannot  fail ;  it  is  full  love  towards  an  object  infinitely 
worthy  of  his  love,  in  which  thou  sharest. 

3.  It  is  an  unchanging  love.  A  mother's  love  is,  of  all  creature- 
love,  the  most  unchangeable.  A  boy  leaves  his  father's  roof,  he 
crosses  a  thousand  seas,  he  labors  beneath  a  foreign  sky  ;  he  comes 


SERMON   XL.  243 

back,  he  finds  his  aged  mother  changed,  her  head  is  grey,  her 
venerable  brow  is  furrowed  with  age  ;  still  he  feels,  while  she 
clasps  him  to  her  bosom,  that  her  heart  is  the  same.  But,  ah  I  far 
more  unchanging  is  the  love  of  God  to  Christ,  and  to  a  soul  in 
Christ :  "  I  am  the  Lord  ;  I  change  not."  The  Father  that  loves 
has  no  variableness.  Jesus,  who  is  loved,  is  the  same,  yesterday, 
to-day,  and  for  ever.  How  can  that  love  change  ?  It  flowed 
before  the  world  was ;  it  will  flow  when  the  world  has  passed 
away. 

If  you  are  in  Christ,  that  love  shines  on  you :  "  I  have  loved  thee 
with  an  everlasting  love."  "  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  pre- 
sent, nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

(1.)  Comfort  downcast  believers.  Many  of  you  may  be  cast 
down,  and  your  souls  disquieted.  You  think  God  has  dealt 
bitterly  with  you ;  he  has  written  you  childless  ;  he  has  met  you 
as  a  lion,  and  as  a  bear  bereaved  of  her  whelps  ;  or  he  has  blasted 
your  gourd  ;  or  he  has  deserted  you,  so  that  you  seek  him,  and 
find  him  not.  Look  still  to  Jesus  ;  the  love  of  God  shines  on  him  ; 
nothing  can  separate  Jesus  from  that  love  ;  nothing  can  separate 
you.  At  the  very  time  when  Zion  was  saying,  "  My  God  hath 
forgotten  me  ;"  at  that  moment  God  was  saying:  "  I  will  not  forget 
thee." 

Your  afflictions  and  desertions  only  prove  that  you  are  under 
the  Father's  hand.  There  is  no  time  when  the  patient  is  an  object 
of  such  tender  interest  to  the  surgeon,  as  when  he  is  under  his 
knife ;  so,  you  may  be  sure,  if  you  are  suffering  from  the  hand  of 
God,  his  eye  is  all  the  more  bent  on  you.  "  The  eternal  God  is 
thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms.*' 

(2.)  Invite  poor  sinners  to  come  and  taste  of  this  love.  It  is  a 
sweet  thing  to  be  loved.  I  suppose  the  most  of  you  have  tasted 
a  mother's  love.  You  know  what  it  is  to  be  rocked  in  her  arms, 
to  be  watched  by  her  gentle  eye,  to  be  cheered  by  her  smile ;  but, 
oh !  brethren,  this  is  nothing  to  the  love  of  your  God.  That  dear 
mother's  eye  will  close  in  death ;  that  dear  mother's  arm  will 
moulder  in  the  dust.  Oh  !  come  and  share  the  love  of  Him  who 
cannot  die»  There  is  one  spot  alone  on  which  the  love  of  God 
continually  falls  unclouded  ;  it  is  the  head  of  Jesus :  "  The  Father 
loveth  the  Son."  He  loves  him  from  his  very  nature ;  so  that  the 
perfections  of  God  must  change  before  this  love  can  change.  He 
loves  him  fully.  The  whole  treasures  of  love  that  arc  in  the 
infinite  bosom  of  Jehovah  are  pouring  continually  into  the  bosom 
of  the  Son.  He  loves  unchangingly  ;  no  cloud  can  ever  come 
between ;  no  veil,  no  distance.  But  what  is  this  to  me  ?  Every- 
thing to  you,  sinner.  Jesus  stands  a  refuge  for  sinners,  ready  to 
receive  even  thee.     Flee  into  him,  sinner ;  abide  in  him,  and  that 


244  SERMON   XLI. 

love  shall  abide  on  you.  You  are  a  worm  ;  but  you  may  enter 
into  the  joy  of  your  Lord.  You  may  share  the  love  of  God  with 
Jesus  in  a  way  that  holy  angels  cannot  do.  Oh  !  sinner,  had  you 
rather  remain  under  the  wrath  of  God  ?  "He  that  believeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him." 
"  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day  ;"  but,  ah  !  "  This  is  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief." 

Oh  !  it  is  sweet  to  pass  from  M'rath  to  love,  from  death  to  life. 
That  poor  murderess  would  leap  in  her  cell,  when  the  news  came 
that  she  was  not  to  die  the  murderer's  death  ;*  but,  ah !  ten  thou- 
sand times  sweeter  would  it  be  to  you,  if  God  were,  this  day,  to 
persuade  you  to  embrace  Christ  freely  offered  in  the  Gospel. 


SERMON  XLI. 

THANKSGIVING    OBTAINS    THE    SPIRIT. 

"  It  came  even  to  pass,  as  the  trumpeters  and  singers  were  as  one,  to  make  one 
sound  to  be  heard  in  praising  and  thanking  the  Lord  ;  and  when  they  lifted  up 
their  voice  with  the  trumpets,  and  cymbals,  and  instruments  of  music,  and 
praised  the  Lord,  saying.  For  he  is  good  ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever  :  that 
then  the  house  was  filled  with  a  cloud,  even  the  house  of  the  Lord  ;  so  that  the 
priests  could  not  stand  to  minister  by  reason  of  the  cloud  :  for  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  had  filled  the  house  of  God." — 2  Chron.  v.,  13,  14. 

The  day  here  spoken  of  appears  to  have  been  a  day  of  days.  It 
seems  to  have  been  the  day  of  Pentecost  in  Old  Testament 
times,  a  type  of  all  the  glorious  days  of  an  outpoured  Spirit  that 
ever  have  been  in  the  world,  a  foretaste  of  that  glorious  day  when 
God  will  fulfil  that  amazing,  soul- satisfying  promise,  "  I  will  pour 
out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh." 

My  dearly  beloved  flock,  it  is  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  that 
this  very  day  might  be  such  a  day  among  us,  that  God  would 
indeed  open  the  windows  of  heaven,  as  he  has  done  in  times  past, 
and  pour  down  a  blessing,  till  there  be  no  room  to  receive  it. 

Let  us  observe,  then,  how  thanksgiving  brings  down  the  Spirit 
of  God. 

I.  How  the  people  were  engaged:  "  In  praising  and  thanking 
the  Lord."  Yea,  you  have  their  very  words  :  "  For  he  is  good  ; 
for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever."  It  was  thus  the  people  were 
engaged  when  the  cloud  came  down  and  filled  the  house.  They 
had  been  engaged  in  many  other  most  affecting  duties.     The 

•  Alluding  to  a  recent  occurrence. 


SERMON    XLI.  245 

Levites  had  been  carrying  the  ark  from  Mount  Zion  and  placing 
it  under  the  wings  of  the  cherubim  ;  Solortion  and  all  his  people 
had  been  offering  sacrifices,  sheep  and  oxen,  which  could  not  be 
told  for  multitude,  still  no  answer  came  from  heaven.  But  when 
the  trumpeters  and  singers  were  as  one  in  praising  and  thanking 
the  Lord,  when  they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying,  "  For  he  is 
good  ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever  ;"  then  the  windows  of 
heaven  were  opened,  then  the  cloud  came  down  and  filled  the 
whole  temple. 

My  dear  flock,  I  am  deeply  persuaded  that  there  will  be  no  full, 
soul-filling,  heart-ravishing,  heart-satisfying,  out-pouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  till  there  be  more  praise  and  thanking  the  Lord.  Let 
me  stir  up  your  hearts  to  praise. 

1.  He  is  good.  Believers  should  praise  God  for  what  he  is  in 
himself  Those  that  have  never  seen  the  Lord  cannot  praise  him. 
Those  that  have  not  come  to  Christ,  have  never  seen  the  King  in 
his  beauty.  An  unconverted  man  sees  no  loveliness  in  God.  He 
sees  a  beauty  in  the  blue  sky,  in  the  glorious  sun,  in  the  green 
earth,  in  the  spangling  stars,  in  the  lily  of  the  field  ;  but  he  sees 
no  beauty  in  God.  He  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him; 
therefore  there  is  no  melody  of  praise  in  that  heart.  When  a 
sinner  is  brought  to  Christ,  he  is  brought  to  the  Father.  Jesus 
gave  himself  for  us,  "  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God."  Oh  !  what 
a  sight  breaks  in  upon  the  soul,  the  infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable 
God  !  I  know  that  some  of  you  have  been  brought  to  see  this 
sight.  Oh  !  praise  him,  then,  for  what  he  is.  Praise  him  for  his 
pure,  lovely  holiness,  that  cannot  bear  any  sin  in  his  sight.  Cry, 
like  the  angels,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,"  Praise 
him  for  his  infinite  wisdom,  that  he  knows  the  end  frona  the  begin- 
ning. In  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge. 
Praise  him  for  his  power,  that  all  matter,  all  mind,  is  in  his  hand. 
The  heart  of  the  king,  the  heart  of  saint  and  sinner,  are  all  in 
his  hand.  Hallelujah  !  for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reigneth. 
Praise  him  for  his  love  ;  for  God  is  love.  Some  of  you  have  been 
at  sea.  When  far  out  of  sight  of  land,  you  have  stood  high  on 
the  vessel's  prow,  and  looked  round  and  round,  one  vast  circle  of 
ocean  without  any  bound.  Oh  !  so  it  is  to  stand  in  Christ  justified, 
and  to  behold  the  love  of  God,  a  vast  ocean  all  around  you,  with- 
out a  bottom  and  without  a  shore.  Oh  !  praise  him  for  what  he 
is.  Heaven  will  be  all  praise.  If  you  cannot  praise  God,  you 
never  will  be  there. 

2.  For  his  mercy,  for  what  he  has  done  for  us.  The  Lord  has 
done  much  for  me  since  we  parted.  We  were  once  in  perils  of 
water  ;  but  the  Lord  saved  the  ship.  Again  and  again  we  were 
in  danger  of  plague;  we  nightly  heard  the  cry  of  the  mourner; 
yet  no  plague  came  near  our  dwelling.  Again  and  again  we  were 
in  perils  of  robbers ;  the  gun  of  the  murderous  Arab  has  been 
levelled  at  us  ;  but  the  Lord  stayed  his  hand.  I  have  been  at  the 
gates  of  death  since  we  parted.     No  man  that  saw  me  would 


246  SERMON    XLI. 

have  believed  that  I  could  be  here  this  day  ;  yet  he  hath  healed  our 
diseases,  and  brought  me  back  to  open  once  more  to  you  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ.  I,  then,  have  reason  to  praise  him; 
for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  The  Lord  has  done  much  for 
you  since  we  parted.  My  eyes  filled  with  tears  when  I  left  you ; 
for  I  thought  he  had  done  it  in  anger.  I  thought  it  was  anger  to 
me,  and  I  thought  it  was  anger  to  you ;  but  now  I  see  it  was  all 
love — it  was  all  mercy  to  unworthy  you  and  to  unworthy  me. 
The  Lord  gave  you  my  dear  brother  to  care  for  your  souls  ;  and 
far  better  than  that,  for  to  give  you  a  man  only  would  have  been 
a  poor  gift,  but  he  has  given  you  his  Holy  Spirit.  "Bless  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul !"  Praise  him,  O  my  people  !  for  he  is  good ; 
for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  Are  there  not  some  of  you  brands 
plucked  out  of  the  burning?  You  were  in  the  burning  ;  the  pains 
of  hell  were  actually  getting  hold  on  you.  You  had  a  hell  in  your 
own  hearts  ;  you  had  a  hell  yawning  to  receive  you  ;  but  the  Lord 
snatched  you  from  the  burning.  Will  you  not  praise  him?  Are 
there  not  some  of  you  whom  I  left  blind,  and  deaf,  and  dumb,  and 
dead  ?  You  saw  no  beauty  in  Him  who  is  fairer  than  the  children 
of  men;  you  saw  no  glory  in  Immanuel — God  manifest  in  the 
flesh.  But  the  Lord  has  said  :  "  Go,  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam ;" 
and  whereas  you  were  blind,  now  you  see.  Oh  !  praise  him  that 
hath  done  it.  In  heaven,  they  praise  God  most  of  all  for  this : 
*'  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain."  Oh !  have  you  no  praise 
for  Jesus  for  all  his  love — for  the  Father — for  the  Spirit?  Some 
of  you  cannot  sing  ;  "  No  man  could  learn  that  song  but  those  that 
were  redeemed  from  the  earth."  Some  of  you  are  worse  than 
when  I  left  you.  You  have  resisted  me ;  you  have  resisted  my 
brother ;  and,  oh !  worse  than  all,  you  have  resisted  the  Holy 
Ghost.  You  are  prayerless  yet,  Christless  yet.  Ah  !  unhappy 
souls,  unredeemed,  unrenewed,  remember  it  will  be  too  late  to  learn 
to  praise  when  you  die.  You  must  begin  now.  I  will  tell  you 
what  a  dear  friend  of  my  own  once  said  before  dying.  She  de- 
sired all  the  servants  to  be  brought  in,  and  she  said  very  solemnly : 
"  There's  nothing  but  Christ  between  me  and  weeping,  and  wail- 
ing, and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Oh  !  Forrest,  if  you  have  not  Christ, 
then  there  is  nothing  between  you  and  weeping,  and  wailing,  and 
gnashing  of  teeth."  You  that  will  not  praise  Christ  now,  shall 
wail  because  of  him  soon. 

II.   The  manner  of  their  praise. 

As  one.  Their  hearts  were  all  as  one  heart  in  this  exercise. 
There  were  a  thousand  tongues,  but  only  one  heart.  Not  only 
were  their  harps,  and  cymbals,  and  dulcimers,  all  in  tune,  giving 
out  a  harmonious  melody,  but  their  hearts  were  all  in  tune.  God 
had  given  them  one  heart,  and  then  the  blessing  came  down.  The 
same  was  the  case  on  the  day  of  Pentecost;  they  were  all  with 
one  accord  in  one  place  ;  they  were  looking  to  the  same  Lamb  of 
God.     The  same  thing  will  be  the  case  in  that  day  prophesied  of 


SERMON    XLI.  247 

in  the  133d  psalm :  "Behold,  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !"  "  There  God  commands  the 
blessing,  even  life  for  evermore."  This  is  the  very  thing  vi^hich 
Jesus  prayed  for  in  that  prayer  which  none  but  God  could  have 
asked,  and  none  but  God  could  answer :  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these 
alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word  ;  that  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou.  Father,  art  in  me,  and 
I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us :  that  the  world  may 
believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me  ;"  and  then  follows  the  blessing: 
"  And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them  ;  that 
they  may  be  oue,  even  as  we  are  one :  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me, 
that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one  ;  and  that  the  world  may 
know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast 
loved  me." 

Dear  children  of  God,  unite  your  praises.  Let  your  hearts  no 
more  be  divided.  You  are  divided  from  the  world  by  a  great 
gulf.  Soon  it  will  be  an  infinite  gulf;  but  you  are  united  to  one 
another  by  the  same  spirit ;  you  have  been  chosen  by  the  same 
free,  sovereign  love  ;  you  have  been  washed  in  the  same  precious 
blood  ;  you  have  been  filled  by  the  same  blessed  Spirit.  Little 
children,  love  one  another.  He  that  loveth  is  born  of  God.  Be 
one  in  your  praises.  Join  in  one  cry  :  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain  ;  thou  art  worthy  to  open  the  book ;  thou  art  worthy  to 
reign  in  our  hearts."  And,  oh  !  be  fervent  in  praise.  Lift  up 
your  voices  in  it ;  lift  up  your  hearts  in  it.  In  heaven  they  wax 
louder  and  louder.  John  heard  the  sound  of  a  great  multitude ; 
and  then  it  was  like  many  waters,  and  then  it  was  like  mighty 
thunderings,  crying  :  "  Hallelujah  !  hallelujah  !"  I  remember 
Edwards's  remark,  that  it  was  in  the  singing  of  praises  that  his 
people  felt  themselves  most  enlarged,  and  then  that  God  was  wor- 
shipped somewhat  in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  Let  it  be  so  among 
yourselves.  Learn,  dearly  beloved,  to  praise  God  heartily ;  to 
sing  with  all  your  heart  and  soul  in  the  family,  and  in  the  congre- 
gation. But,  oh !  remember  that  even  your  praises  must  be 
sprinkled  with  blood,  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 

in.  Effects. 

1.  The  cloud JiUed  the  house.  This  cloud  is  the  very  same  which 
led  them  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  went  before  them  forty  years 
in  the  wilderness.  It  was  a  pillar  of  cloud  by  day,  to  shade  them 
from  the  heat ;  it  was  a  pillar  of  fii'e  by  night,  to  guide  Israel  on 
their  way  to  the  promised  rest ;  and  now  it  came  and  filled  the 
holiest  of  all  and  the  holy  place.  Such  was  the  wonderful  effect 
which  followed  their  united  fervent  praises.  God  himself  came 
dov/n,  and  filled  every  chamber  of  the  house  with  his  presence. 
*'  This  is  my  rest  for  ever  ;  here  will  I  dwell  ;  for  I  have  desired 
it."  Now,  my  dear  friends,  we  are  not  now  to  expect  that  God 
will  answer  our  prayers,  or  follow  our  praises  with  a  pillar  of 


248  SERMON    XLI. 

cloud  or  a  pillar  of  fire.  These  were  but  the  shadows  ;  now  we 
receive  the  reality,  the  substance.  If  ye  will  but  unite  in  unani- 
mous and  heartfelt  praises,  then  am  I  persuaded  that  God  will  give 
his  Holy  Spirit  to  fill  this  House,  to  fill  every  heart  in  the  spiritual 
temple.     How  glorious  this  will  be  ! 

(1.)  For  the  children  of  God.  Are  there  not  some  of  you  who 
have  come  to  Christ,  and  nothing  more  ?  Guilty,  weary,  heavy 
laden,  you  have  found  rest ;  redemption  through  his  blood,  even 
the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Oh  !  do  not  stop  there.  Do  not  rest  in 
mere  forgiveness  ;  cry  for  the  indwellings  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Comforter.  Forgiveness  is  but  a  means  to  an  end.  You  are  justi- 
fied in  order  that  you  may  be  sanctified.  Remember,  without 
holiness,  you  will  never  see  the  Lord  ;  and  without  this  indwelling 
Spirit,  you  never  will  be  holy. 

Are  there  not  some  of  you  groaning  under  a  body  of  sin  and 
death,  and  crying,  with  the  apostle  :  "  Oh  !  wretched  man,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  Do  you  not  feel 
the  plague  of  your  own  heart  ?  Do  you  not  feel  the  power  of  your 
old  nature  ?  How  many  in  this  state  lean  upon  themselves,  trust 
in  their  resolutions,  attempt,  as  it  were,  by  force,  to  put  down  their 
sins  :  but  here  is  the  remedy.  Oh  !  cry  for  the  flood-tide  of  God's 
Spirit,  that  he  may  fill  every  chamber  of  your  heart ;  that  he  may 
renew  you  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind. 

Are  there  not  many  who  are  cold,  worldly  Christians,  those  who 
were  long  ago  converted,  but  have  fallen  sadly  back,  under  the 
power  of  the  world,  either  its  gaiety  or  its  business,  its  mirth  or  its 
money,  and  they  have  got  into  worldly  habits,  deep  ruts  of  sin  ? 
Ah  !  see  what  you  need.  He  that  created  man  in  his  own  image 
at  first,  must  create  you  over  again.  You  need  an  almighty  in- 
dwelling Comforter.  Oh  !  it  is  he  only  who  can  melt  your  icy 
heart,  and  make  it  flow  out  in  love  to  God,  who  can  fill  you  with 
all  the  fulness  of  God. 

Are  there  not  some  who  read  the  Bible,  but  get  little  from  it  ? 
You  feel  that  it  does  not  sink  into  your  heart,  it  does  not  remain 
with  you  through  the  week.  It  is  like  the  seed  cast  in  the  way- 
side, easily  plucked  away.  Oh  !  it  is  just  such  an  outpoured  Spirit 
you  require  to  hide  the  Word  in  your  heart.  When  you  write 
with  a  dry  pen,  without  any  ink  in  it,  no  impression  is  made  upon 
the  paper.  Now,  ministers  are  the  pens,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
the  ink.  Pray  that  the  pen  may  be  filled  with  that  living  ink,  that 
the  Word  may  remain  in  your  hearts,  known  and  read  of  all  men 
— that  you  may  be  sanctified  through  the  truth. 

(2.)  For  the  unconverted. — So  it  was  in  the  day  of  Pentecost — 
the  Spirit  came  first  on  the  small  company  of  disciples,  and  then 
on  the  three  thousand.  You  have  seen  the  hills  attracting  the 
clouds,  and  so  drawing  down  the  shower  into  the  valleys  ;  so  do 
God's  children,  having  their  heads  within  the  veil,  obtain  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  fulness,  and  dispense  it  to  all  around.     You  have  seen 


SERMON    XLII.  249 

some  tall  tree  or  spire  catching  the  lightning,  and  conveying  it 
down  into  the  ground,  so  does  the  fire  of  God's  Spirit  come  first 
upon  the  trees  of  righteousness,  and  from  them  descends  to  the 
dead  souls  around  them. 

A  word  to  dead  souls. — Keep  near  to  God's  children  at  such  a 
time  as  this.  Do  not  separate  from  them — do  not  mock  at  them  ; 
you  may  yet  receive  the  grace  of  God  through  them.  Dear  be- 
lievers, for  the  sake  of  the  dead  souls  around  you,  for  the  sake  of 
this  great  town,  full  of  wickedness,  for  the  sake  of  our  land,  filled 
with  formality  and  hypocrisy,  oh  !  unite  in  prayer,  and  unite  in 
praise,  and  prove  the  Lord,  if  he  will  not  pour  out  a  blessing.  Not 
for  your  ownsakes  only,  but  for  the  sake  of  those  perishing  around 
you,  let  us  wrestle  and  pray  for  a  fuller  time  of  the  Spirit's  work- 
ing than  has  ever  been  seen  in  Scotland  yet. 

2.  The  priests  could  not  stand  to  minister. — Before  the  cloud 
came  down,  no  doubt  the  priests  were  all  busily  engaged  burning 
incense,  and  offering  sacrifices  ;  but  when  the  cloud  came  down, 
they  could  only  wonder  and  adoi'e.  So  it  ever  will  be  when  the 
Lord  gives  much  of  his  Spirit ;  he  will  make  it  evident  that  it  is 
not  the  work  of  man.  If  he  were  to  give  only  a  little,  then  mi- 
nisters would  begin  to  think  they  had  some  hand  in  it ;  but  when 
he  fills  the  house,  then  he  makes  it  plain  that  man  has  nothing  to 
do  with  it.  David  Brainard  said,  that  when  God  awakened  his 
whole  congregation  of  Indians,  he  stood  by  amazed,  and  felt  that 
he  was  as  nothing — that  God  alone  was  working.  Oh  !  it  is  this, 
dear  friends,  that  we  desire  and  pray  for,  that  the  Lord,  the  Spirit, 
would  himself  descend,  and  with  his  almighty  power  tear  away 
the  veil  from  your  hearts,  convince  you  of  sin,  of  righteousness, 
and  of  judgment,  that  Jesus  himself  would  take  his  sceptre,  and 
break  your  hard  hearts,  and  take  all  the  glory — that  we  may  cry 
out:  "iXot  unto  us.  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give 
glory." 

St.  Peter's,  JVov.  24,  1S39  {after  returning  from  Palestine). 


SERMON  XLII. 


AN    EXCEEDING    GOOD    LAND. 


"  And  they  spake  unto  ail  the  company  of  the  children  of  Israel,  saying,  The  land 
which  we  passed  through  to  search  it  is  an  exceeding  good  land.  If  the  Lord 
delight  in  us,  then  he  will  bring  us  into  this  land,  and  give  it  us,  a  land  that 
floweth  with  milk  and  honey." — Numb,  xiv.,  7,  8. 

When  the  children  of  Israel  arrived  at  the  border  of  the  promised 
land,  Moses,  at  the  command  of  God,  sent  twelve  men  to  spy  out 
the  good  land.     They  searched  it  for  forty  days  from  the  one  end 


250  SERMON   XLII. 

to  the  other,  and  then  returned,  bringing  a  bunch  of  grapes,  borne 
between  two,  on  a  staff,  from  the  fruitlul  Valley  of  Eschol.  But 
ten  of  the  spies  brought  an  evil  report  of  the  land.  The  land, 
they  said,  was  good ;  but  the  inhabitants  were  giants,  and  the 
cities  walled  up  to  heaven  ;  and  the  conclusion  they  came  to  was  : 
"  We  are  not  able  to  go  up  against  the  people,  for  they  are  stronger 
than  we." — Verse  31. 

Joshua  and  Caleb  alone  tried  to  still  the  people.  They  did  not 
deny  that  the  men  were  tall,  and  that  the  cities  were  walled ;  but 
they  pointed  to  the  pillar-cloud  to  answer  all  objections :  "  The 
Lord  is  with  us,"  and  we  shall  subdue  the  people  as  easily  as  we 
eat  bread.  "  The  land  which  we  passed  through  to  search  it  is  an 
exceeding  good  land." 

Doctrine. — If  God  delight  in  a  soul,  he  will  bring  it  into  the 
good  land. 

I.  Show  who  they  are  that  God  delights  in. 

1.  God  has  no  delight  in  a  natural  soul. — "  If  thou  shouldest 
mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?"  "  Thou  art  not  a  God 
that  dclighteth  in  wickedness ;  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  thee." 
"  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and  canst  not  look 
on  iniquity."  "  Surely  thou  wilt  slay  the  wicked,  O  God."  Eli's 
sons  hearkened  not  unto  the  voice  of  their  father ;  for  the  Lord 
would  slay  them.  It  is  God's  very  nature  to  loathe  and  turn 
away  from  that  which  is  sinful.  A  person  with  a  fine  ear  for 
music  cannot  delight  in  a  jarring  discord.  It  is  impossible  in  his 
very  nature.  So  it  is  impossible  in  God  to  delight  in  a  naked  sin- 
ner. A  person  covered  witii  sin  is  quite  contrary  to  God's  nature; 
and  therefore,  when  naked  sinners  and  God  meet  in  the  judgment, 
God  will  have  no  mercy, neither  will  his  eye  spare.  He  will  say: 
"Bind  them  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  them  into  outer  darkness." 

Oh !  you  that  are  covered  over  with  sin,  think  of  this.  You 
that  are  uncovered  in  the  sight  of  God,  prepare  to  meet  your  God. 
How  will  you  come  into  the  presence  of  one  who  abhors  sin, 
when  he  puts  your  most  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  his  countenance, 
when  he  brings  to  light  all  the  hidden  works  of  darkness,  when 
you  shall  give  account  of  every  idle  word  ?  Ah  I  where  will  you 
appear  1 

2.  He  delights  in  one  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ. — When 
a  hell-deserving  sinner  is  enlightened  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
when  he  believes  the  record  that  God  hath  given  concerning  his 
Son,  and  joyfully  consents  that  the  Lord  Jesus  be  his  surety,  then 
the  blood  of  Christ  is,  as  it  were,  sprinkled  over  that  soul.  When 
Aaron  and  his  sons  were  set  apart  for  the  priesthood,  the  blood  of 
the  ram  was  put  upon  the  lip  of  their  right  ear,  and  the  thumb  of 
their  right  hand,  and  the  great  toe  of  their  right  foot,  to  signify 
that  they  were  dipped  in  blood  from  head  to  foot;  so  when  God 
looks  upon  a  soul  in  Christ,  he  sees  it  dipped  in  the  blood  of  the 


SERMON    XLII.  251 

Saviour.  He  looks  upon  that  soul  as  having  suffered  all  that 
Christ  suffered  ;  therefore  he  delights  in  that  soul.  His  sense  of 
justice  is  pleased.  God  has  an  infinite  sense  of  justice.  His  eyes 
behold  the  things  that  are  equal  ;  now  when  he  sees  the  blood  of 
his  Son  sprinkled  upon  any  soul,  he  sees  that  justice  has  had  its 
full  satisfaction  in  that  soul,  that  that  man's  sins  have  been  more 
fully  punished  than  if  he  had  borne  them  himself  eternally. 

His  sense  of  mercy  is  pleased.  He  delighteth  in  mercy.  Even 
when  justice  was  crying  out,  "  Thou  shalt  surely  slay  the  wicked," 
his  mercy  was  yearning  over  sinners,  and  he  provided  a  ransom. 
And  now  when  the  sinner  has  laid  hold  on  the  ransom,  mercy  is 
poured  down  in  forgiveness.  God  delighteth  in  mercy ;  he  de- 
lights to  forgive  the  soul.  It  is  sweet  to  notice  how  Jesus  loves  to 
forgive  sins.  In  the  woman  that  washed  his  feet,  how  he  seems 
to  dwell  on  it !  "  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven."  And 
again  he  said  unto  her :  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  ;"  and  again, 
a  third  time :  "  Go  in  peace."  And  so  God  loves  to  forgive  : 
"  There  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth," 

Invite  trembling  sinners  to  come  to  Jesus. — Some  of  you  are 
trembling  under  a  sense  of  being  exposed  to  God's  wrath.  Which 
of  his  commandments  have  you  not  broken  ?  Your  case  is,  in- 
deed, a  dismal  one,  your  fears  are  most  just  and  reasonable  :  and 
if  you  saw  your  condition  fully,  they  would  be  ten  thousand  times 
greater.  Yet  here  is  a  fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness.  If  only  you  are  willing  to  come  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  you  do 
not  need  to  remain  another  moment  out  of  God's  favor.  You  see 
how  completely  safe  you  would  be,  if  you  would  take  this  blood. 
A  just  and  merciful  God  would  rejoice  over  you  to  forgive  you. 
It  is  all  in  vain  that  you  try  your  own  righteousness ;  it  will  never 
make  God  delight  in  you,  for  it  is  filthy  rags  in  his  sight.  But 
the  blood  of  atonement,  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  speakelh  peace. 

3.  God  delights  in  the  sanctified. — You  remember,  in  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  how  often  Jesus  says,  "I  know  thy  works."  He 
says  it  with  delight  in  the  case  of  Smyrna :  "  I  know  thy  works, 
and  tribulation,  and  poverty  ;  but  thou  art  rich."  When  God 
brings  a  soul  into  Christ,  he  makes  him  a  new  creature  ;  then  God 
loves  the  new  creature.  Just  as  when  God  m.ade  the  world,  he 
saw  all  that  he  had  made,  and  smiled,  for  all  was  very  good  :  so, 
when  God  makes  a  new  creation  in  the  heart,  God  delights  in  it. 
He  says  it  is  all  very  good. 

Obj.  My  graces  are  all  imperfect.  They  do  not  please  me, 
how  can  they  please  God  ?     I  cannot  do  the  things  that  I  would. 

Ans.  All  true  ;  yet  God  loves  his  own  workmanship  in  the  soul. 
His  Spirit  prays  in  you,  lives  in  you,  walks  in  you.  God  loves 
the  work  of  his  own  Spirit,  Just  as  you  love  flowers  of  your  own 
planting,  as  you  love  a  spot  that  you  have  laid  out  much  on ;  so 
God  loves  his  children,  not  for  anything  of  their  own,  but  for  what 
he  has  done  for  them,  and  in  them.     They  are  dear-bought,  he  has 


252  SERMON    XLII. 

bought  them  with  his  own  blood.  He  waters  them  every  moment, 
lest  any  hurt  them  ;  he  keeps  them  by  night  and  by  day,  and  how 
can  he  but  love  them  ?  He  loves  the  place  where  his  Spirit  dwells. 
Just  as  God  loved  the  temple  :  "This  is  my  rest:  here  will  I 
dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it,"  not  for  any  good  in  it,  but  because  it 
was  the  place  of  his  feet ;  because  he  had  done  so  much  for  it  ;  so 
God  loves  his  Christians,  just  because  he  dwells  in  ihem,  and  has 
done  so  much  for  them.  Just  as  it  was  with  Aaron's  rod  :  it  was 
a  dry  stick,  like  any  other  rod  ;  but  God  made  it  bud  forth,  ana 
bloom  blossoms,  and  bear  ripe  almonds  ;  and  therefore  he  caused 
it  to  be  laid  up  in  the  holiest  of  all.  So  is  a  Christian  a  dry  tree  ; 
but  God  makes  him  bear  fruit,  and  loves  the  work  of  his  own 
hands.  Dear  Christians,  walk  after  the  Spirit,  and  please  God 
more  and  more.  He  saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit.  His 
countenance  doth  behold  the  upright :  "  I  love  them  that  love  me." 

II.  God  will  bring  all  his  people  to  glory. — There  are  many 
difficulties  in  the  way.  1.  So  it  was  with  Israel.  The  cities  were 
walled  and  very  great ;  the  inhabitants  were  gigantic  and  strong; 
they  fell  before  them  like  grasshoppers.  2.  So  it  is  with  God's 
children  :  they  have  many  and  great  enemies — the  devil,  and  his 
angels,  once  the  brightest  and  highest  of  created  intelligences,  now 
the  gr^eat  enemy  of  souls.  He  is  against  the  Christian.  The  world 
is  full  of  giants,  all  opposing  God's  children.  The  persec.utions  of 
the  ungodly,  the  allurements  of  pleasure,  these  are  great  enemies 
in  the  way.  There  are  giant  lusts  in  the  heart :  the  lust  of  praise, 
the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  the  pride  of  life.  Before 
these  the  soul  feels  like  a  grasshopper,  without  strength  :  "  We 
are  not  able  to  go  up  against  the  people,  for  they  are  stronger 
than  we." 

Arg.  If  he  delight  in  us,  he  will  bring  us  into  this  land. 

He  is  able;  "If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?"  1. 
God  is  strange?-  than  Satan.  Satan  is  nothing  in  his  hand.  It  is 
easier  for  God  to  crush  Satan  under  our  feet,  than  for  you  to 
crush  a  fly.  God  is  infinitely  stronger  than  Satan.  Satan  can  no 
more  hinder  God  from  carrying  us  to  glory  than  a  little  fly  can, 
which  you  crush  with  your  foot.  "  He  shall  bruise  Satan  under 
your  feet  shortly."  Submit  yourselves  to  God,  resist  the  devil, 
and  he  will  flee  from  you.  2.  Stronger  than  the  world.  The 
world  often  comes  against  us  like  armed  men ;  but  if  God  be  for 
us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?  "  The  people  shall  be  like  bread."  It 
is  as  easy  to  overcome  all  opposition  when  God  is  with  us,  as  for 
a  hungry  man  to  eat  bread.  It  was  God  that  girded  Cyrus,  though 
he  did  not  know  him.  So  he  docs  still :  worldly  men  are  a  rod 
in  God's  hand.  God  puts  it  this  way  or  that  way,  to  fulfil  all  his 
pleasure  ;  and  when  he  has  done  with  it  he  will  break  it  in  pieces, 
and  cast  it  into  the  fire.  '  So  fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body, 
and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do."     Oh  !  Christian,  if 


SERMON   XLII.  253 

you  would  live  by  faith,  you  might  live  a  happy  life  !  3.  Stronger 
than  our  own  heart.  There  is  many  a  Jericho  in  our  own  heart 
walled  up  to  heaven,  many  a  fortress  of  sin,  many  giant  lusts 
which  threaten  our  souls.  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  "  If  the  Lord 
delight  in  us,  he  will  bring  us  into  the  good  land."  By  faith  the 
wails  of  Jericho  fell  down  after  they  were  compassed  about  seven 
days.  God  made  the  walls  of  Jericho  fall  flat,  by  a  mere  breath 
of  wind — a  noise  ;  so  he  is  able  still.  Settle  it  in  your  hearts  ; 
there  is  no  Jericho  in  your  hearts  which  God  is  not  able  to  make 
fall  in  a  moment.  You  have  seen  a  shepherd  carrying  a  sheep  on 
his  shoulder ;  he  meets  with  many  a  stone  on  the  way,  many  a 
thorn,  many  a  stream ;  yet  the  sheep  feels  no  difficulty  ;  it  is 
carried  above  all.  So  it  is  with  every  soul  that  yields  itself  to 
God  ;  the  only  difficulty  is  to  lie  on  his  shoulder. 

Apply  to  young  Christians.  Learn  where  your  sanctification 
lies — in  God  :  "  With  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life."  "  Your  life  is 
hid  with  Chi'ist  in  God."  Your  holiness  does  not  depend  on  you, 
but  on  him.  It  is  a  hard  lesson  to  learn,  that  you  cannot  sanctify 
yourself,  that  you  cannot  overcome  these  giants,  and  scale  these 
walls.  You  have  learned  one  humbling  lesson,  that  you  have  no 
righteousness  ;  that  nothing  you  have  done  or  can  do  will  justify 
you.  Now,  learn  another  humbling  lesson,  that  even  when  par- 
doned you  have  no  strength.  It  is  the  most  humbling  of  all  things 
to  lie  like  a  sheep  on  his  shoulders  ;  but,  oh  !  it  is  sweet.  Be  like 
Aaron's  rod,  a  dry  stick  in  yourself,  till  he  shall  make  you  bud, 
and  blossom,  and  bear  fruit.  Say  like  Ephraim  :  "  I  am  a  green 
fir  tree  ;"  and  hear  God  say :  "  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found." 

To  fallen  Christians.  Some  of  you  may  have  fallen  into  sin. 
The  reason  was  just  this  :  you  forgot  where  your  strength  lay. 
It  was  not  the  force  of  passion  nor  the  power  of  Satan,  nor  the 
allurement  of  the  world  that  made  you  fall,  it  was  unbelief;  you 
did  not  lie  in  his  hand. 

To  aged  Christians.  You  have  come  to  the  border  of  the 
promised  land,  and  still  your  enemies  seem  giants,  and  the  cities 
walled  up  to  heaven,  and  you  feel  like  a  grasshopper.  Still,  if 
the  Lord  delight  in  you,  he  will  keep  you  in  the  love  of  God.  He 
that  saved  you  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw 
of  the  bear,  will  save  you  out  of  the  hand  of  this  Philistine.  Trust 
God  to  the  end. 

Even  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  look  back  over  all 
your  deliverances  ;  look  over  all  the  Ebenezers  you  have  raised, 
and  say  : — 

After  so  much  mercy  past, 
Canst  thou  let  me  sink  at  last  ? 


254  SERMON   XLIII. 

SERMON  XLIII. 

FAMILY    GOVERNMENT. 

"  For  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children  and  his  household  after  him, 
and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment ;  that  the 
Lord  may  bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  he  hath  spoken  of  him." — Gen 
xviii.j  19 

There  are  three  things  very  remarkable  in  these  words.  1. 
That  Abraham  used  parental  authority  in  governing  his  family: 
"  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children  and  servants 
after  him."  He  did  not  think  it  enough  to  pray  for  them,  or  to 
teach  them,  but  he  used  the  authority  which  God  had  given  him, 
he  commanded  them.  2.  That  he  cared  for  his  servants  as  well 
as  his  children.  In  chap,  xiv.,  verse  14,  we  learn  that  Abraham 
had  three  hundred  and  eighteen  servants  born  in  his  house.  He 
lived  after  the  manner  of  patriarchal  times  ;  as  the  Arabs  of  the 
wilderness  do  to  this  day.  His  family  was  very  large,  and  yet 
he  did  not  say,  ''  They  are  none  of  mine."  He  commanded  his 
children  and  his  household.  3.  His  success :  "  They  shall  keep 
the  way  of  the  Lord."  It  is  often  said  that  the  children  of  good 
men  turn  out  ill.  Well,  here  is  a  good  man,  and  a  good  man 
doing  his  duty  by  his  children,  and  here  is  the  i-esult.  His  son 
Isaac  was  probably  a  child  of  God  from  his  earliest  years.  There 
is  every  mark  of  it  in  his  life.  And  what  a  delightful  specimen  of 
a  believing,  prayerful  servant  was  Eliezer. — Gen.  xxiv. 
It  is  the  duty  of  all  believers  to  rule  their  houses  well. 

I.   The  springs  of  this  duty. 

1.  Love  to  souls. — As  long  as  a  man  does  not  care  for  his  own 
soul,  he  does  not  care  for  the  souls  of  others.  He  can  see  his 
wife  and  children  living  in  sin,  going  down  to  hell,  he  does  not 
care.  He  does  not  care  for  missions,  gives  nothing  to  support 
missionaries.  But  the  moment  a  man's  eyes  are  opened  to  the 
value  of  his  own  soul,  that  moment  does  he  begin  to  care  for  the 
souls  of  others.  From  that  moment  does  he  love  the  missionary 
cause.  He  willingly  spares  a  little  to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  Jew 
and  the  perishing  Hindus.  Again,  he  begins  to  care  for  the 
Church  at  home,  for  his  neighbors,  all  living  in  sin.  Like  the 
maniac  at  Decapolis,  he  publishes  the  name  of  Jesus  wherever 
he  goes.  And  now  he  begins  to  care  for  his  own  house.  He 
commands  his  children  and  his  household  after  him.  How  is  it 
with  you  ?  Do  you  rule  well  your  own  house  ?  Do  you  worship 
God,  morning  and  evening,  in  your  family  ?  Do  you  deal  with 
your  children  and  servants  touching  their  conversion?  If  not, 
you  do  not  love  their  souls.     And  the  reason  is,  you   do  not  love 


SERMON    XLIII.  255 

your  own.  You  may  make  what  outward  profession  you  please ; 
you  may  sit  down  at  sacraments,  and  talk  about  your  feelings, 
&c.,  but  if  you  do  not  labor  for  the  conversion  of  your  children, 
it  is  all  a  lie.  If  you  but  felt  the  preciousness  of  Christ,  you 
could  not  look  upon  their  faces  without  a  heart-breaking  desire 
that  they  might  be  saved.     Thus  Rahab,  Josh,  ii.,  13. 

2.  Desire  to  use  all  talents  for  Chrut. — When  a  man  comes  to 
Christ,  he  feels  he  is  not  his  own. — 1  Cor.  vi.,  19.  He  hears 
Christ  say,  "  Occupy  till  I  come."  If  he  be  a  rich  man,  he 
uses  all  for  Christ,  like  Gaius.  If  a  learned  man,  spends  all 
for  Christ,  like  Paul.  Now,  parental  authority  is  one  talent,  the 
authority  of  a  father  and  master  is  a  talent,  for  the  use  of  which 
men  will  be  judged.  He  uses  this  also  for  Christ.  He  commands 
his  children  and  his  household  after  him.  How  is  it  with  you  ? 
Do  you  use  this  talent  for  Christ?  If  not,  you  have  never  given 
yourself  away  to  him,  you  are  not  his. 

II.  Scripture  examples  of  it. 

1.  Abraham.  The  rnost  eminent  example  of  it,  the  father  of  all 
believers.  Are  you  a  child  of  Abraham?  Then  walk  in  his 
steps  in  this.  Wherever  Abraham  went,  he  built  an  altar  to  ,the 
Lord. 

2.  Job.  Upon  every  one  of  his  sons'  birth-days  Job  offered  sa- 
crifice, according  to  the  number  of  them  all. — Chap,  i.,  5. 

3.  Joshua  :  "  As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord." 
— Chap,  xxiv.,  15. 

4.  Eunice.  From  a  child,  little  Timothy  knew  the  Scriptures ; 
and  the  reason  of  this  you  understand,  when  you  read  of  the  faith 
of  his  mother  Eunice. — 2  Tim.  iii.,  15,  with  i.,  5.  Such  was  the 
manner  in  Scotland  in  the  days  of  our  fathers  ;  and  if  ever  we 
are  to  see  Scotland  again  a  garden  of  the  Lord,  it  must  be  by  the 
reviving  of  family  government. 

III.  The  manner  of  it. 

1.  Worship  God  in  your  family. — If  you  do  not  worship 
God  in  your  family,  you  are  living  in  positive  sin ;  you  may 
be  quite  sure  you  do  not  care  for  the  souls  of  your  family.  If  you 
neglected  to  spread  a  meal  for  your  children  to  eat,  would  it  not 
be  said  that  you  did  not  care  for  their  bodies  ?  And  if  you  do  not 
lead  your  children  and  servants  to  the  green  pastures  of  God's 
Word,  and  to  seek  the  living  water,  how  plain  is  it  that  you  do 
not  care  for  their  souls  !  Do  it  regularly,  morning  and  evening. 
It  is  more  needful  than  your  daily  food,  more  needful  than  your 
work.  How  vain  and  silly  all  your  excuses  will  appear,  when 
you  look  back  from  hell !  Do  it  fully.  Some  clip  off  the  psalm, 
and  some  the  reading  of  the  Word  ;  and  so  the  worship  of  God  is 
reduced  to  a  mockery.  Do  it  in  a  spiritual,  lively  manner.  Go 
to  it  as  to  a  well  of  salvation.     There  is,  perhaps,  no  mean  of 


256  SERMON    XLIII. 

grace  more  blessed.     Let  all  your  family  be  present  without  fail, 
let  none  be  avvanting. 

2.  Command,  use  parental  authority. — How  awfully  did  God 
avenge  it  upon  Eli,  "because  his  sons  made  themselves  vile,  and 
he  restrained  them  not !"  Eli  was  a  good  man,  and  a  holy  man  ; 
and  often  he  spoke  to  his  two  wicked  sons,  but  ihey  heeded  not. 
But  herein  he  failed,  he  did  not  use  his  parental  authority,  he  did 
not  restrain  them.  Remember  Eli.  It  is  not  enough  to  pray  for 
your  children,  and  to  pray  with  them,  and  to  warn  them  ;  but  you 
must  restrain  them.  Restrain  them  with  the  cords  of  love.  From 
wicked  books,  from  wicked  companions,  from  wicked  amusements, 
from  untimely  hours,  restrain  them. 

3.  Command  servants  as  well  as  children. — So  did  Abraham. 
Remember  you  are  in  the  place  of  a  father  to  your  servants. 
They  are  come  under  your  roof;  and  they  have  a  claim  on  your 
instructions.  If  they  minister  to  you  in  carnal  things,  it  is  but  fair 
that  you  minister  to  them  in  spiritual  things.  You  have  drawn 
them  away  from  under  the  parental  roof,  and  it  is  your  part  to  see 
that  they  do  not  lose  by  it.  Oh  !  what  a  mass  of  sin  would  be 
prevented,  if  masters  would  care  for  their  servants'  souls  I 

4.  Deal  ivith  each  as  to  the  conversion  of  his  soul. — I  have 
known  many  dear  Christian  parents  who  have  been  singularly 
neglectful  in  this  particular.  They  worship  God  in  the  family, 
and  pray  earnestly  in  secret  for  their  children  and  servants,  and 
yet  never  deal  with  them  as  to  their  conversion.  Satan  spreads 
a  kind  of  false  modesty  among  parents,  that  they  will  not  inquire 
of  their  little  ones.  Have  you  found  the  Lord,  or  no  ?  Ah  !  how 
sinful  and  foolish  this  will  appear  in  eternity.  If  you  should  see 
some  of  your  children  or  servants  in  hell,  all  because  you  did  not 
speak  to  them  in  private,  how  would  you  look  1  Begin  to-night. 
Take  them  aside  and  ask,  What  has  God  done  for  your  soul  ? 

5.  Lead  a  holy  life  befo7'e  thejn. — If  all  your  religion  is  on  your 
tongue,  your  children  and  servants  will  soon  find  out  your  hy- 
pocrisy. 

IV.   TJie  blessing. 

1.  You  ivill  avoid  the  curse. — You  will  avoid  Eli's  curse.  Eli 
was  a  child  of  God,  and  yet  he  suffered  much  on  account  of  his 
unfaithfulness.  He  lost  his  two  sons  in  one  day.  If  you  would 
avoid  Eli's  curse,  avoid  Eli's  sin.  "  Pour  out  thy  fury  on  the  fami- 
lies that  have  not  called  on  thy  name" — Jer.  x.,  25.  If  you  do  not 
worship  God  in  your  house,  a  curse  is  written  over  your  door.  If 
I  could  mark  the  dwellings  in  this  town  where  there  is  no  family 
prayer,  these  are  the  spots  where  the  curse  of  God  is  ready  to  fall. 
These  houses  are  over  hell. 

2.  Your  children  will  be  saved. — So  it  was  with  Abraham.  His 
dear  son  Isaac  was  saved.  What  became  of  Ishmael  I  do  not 
know.     Only  I  remember  his  fervent  cry :  *'  O  that  Ishmael  might 


SERMON    XLIV.  257 

live  before  thee  !"  Such  is  the  promise :  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the 
•way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  if." 
Such  is  the  promise  in  baptism.  Ah  !  who  can  tell  the  blessed- 
ness of  being  the  saved  father  of  a  saved  family  ?  Dear  believ- 
ers, be  wise.  Surely  if  anything  could  mar  the  joy  of  heaven,  it 
would  be  to  see  your  children  lost  through  your  neglect.  Dear 
unconverted  souls,  if  one  pang  can  be  more  bitter  than  another  in 
hell,  it  will  be  to  hear  your  children  say :  "  Father,  mother,  you 
brought  me  here." 


SERMON  XLIV. 

AND    IN    THIS  MOUNTAIN. 

"  And  in  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat 
things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the 
lees  well  refined.  And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering 
cast  over  all  people,  and  the  veil  that  is  spread  over  all  nations.  He  will  swallow 
up  death  in  victory ;  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces ; 
and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  all  the  earth ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it." — Isa.  xxv.,  6-8. 

These  words  are  yet  to  be  fulfilled  at  the  second  coming  of  the 
Saviour.  It  is  true  that  the  Lord  of  hosts  has  long  ago  prepared 
this  feast,  and  sent  out  his  servants,  saying :  "  Come,  for  all  things 
are  ready."  But  it  is  just  as  true,  that  the  veil  that  is  spread  over 
all  nations  is  not  yet  taken  away  ;  and  Paul  tells  us  plainly,  in  1 
Cor.  XV.,  54,  that  it  is  in  the  resurrection  morning  that  these 
words  shall  be  quite  fulfilled :  "  He  hath  swallowed  up  death  in 
victory." 

Still  these  words  have  been  in  some  measure  fulfilled  wherever 
there  has  been  a  peculiar  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  any  place. 
Often  at  sacrament  seasons  in  our  own  land,  these  words  have 
been  fulfilled.  God  has  made  Christ  a  feast  of  fat  things  to  hun- 
gry souls.  The  veil  of  unbelief  has  been  torn  from  many  hearts, 
and  the  tears  wiped  away  from  many  eyes.  It  is  my  humble  but 
earnest  desire  that  next  Sabbath  day  may  be  such  a  day  in  this 
place.*  I  want  to  engage  all  of  you  who  are  the  children  of 
God  to  secret  and  united  prayer  that  it  may  be  so ;  and  I  have 
therefore,  chosen  these  words  by  which  to  stir  you  up  to  pray. 

I.  Consider  the  Feast.     II.  The  tearing  away  of  the  veil.    lU. 
The  eflfects  of  it. 
1.  The  Feast. 

*  The  Communion  Sabbath. 
17 


258  SERMON    XLIV. 

1.  Where  is  it?  Ans.  "  In  this  mountain."  (1.)  Moriah?  Ah! 
it  was  here  that  Abraham  offered  up  Isaac.  It  was  here  that  the 
passover  lamb  used  to  be  slain.  It  was  here  that  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink."  (2.) 
Mount  Olivet?  It  was  here  that  Jesus  said,  "I  am  the  true  vine." 
It  was  here  that  Jesus  had  the  cup  of  wrath  set  down  before  him, 
in  that  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed.  (3.)  Mount  Calvary? 
It  was  here  that  they  crucified  Jesus — and  two  thieves,  one  on 
each  hand.  It  was  here  that  the  passers-by  wagged  their  heads, 
the  chief  priests  mocked,  and  the  thieves  cast  the  same  in  his  teeth. 
It  was  here  that  there  was  three  hours'  darkness.  It  was  here 
they  pierced  his  hands  and  feet.  It  was  here  that  God  forsook 
his  own  Son.  It  was  here  that  infinite  wrath  was  laid  upon  an 
infinite  Saviour :  "  In  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make 
unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things." 

To  anxious  souls. — The  world  tries  to  cheer  you  ;  they  bid  you 
go  into  company,  see  more  of  the  world,  enjoy  pleasure,  and  drive 
away  these  dull  thoughts.  They  spread  a  feast  for  you  in  some 
lighted  hall,  with  brilliant  lamps ;  and  the  pipe  and  the  tabor,  and 
wine  are  in  their  feasts.  Oh!  anxious  soul,  flee  these  things: 
remember  Lot's  wife.  If  you  are  anxious  about  your  soul,  flee 
from  the  feasts  of  the  world.  Stop  your  ears,  and  run.  Look 
here  how  God  tries  to  cheer  you:  he,  too,  prepares  a  feast;  but 
where  ?  On  Calvary.  There  is  no  light ;  it  is  all  darkness  round 
the  cross ;  no  music,  but  the  groan  of  a  dying  Saviour :  '•  Eli ! 
Eli ! — my  God  !  my  God  !"  Oh  !  anxious  soul,  it  is  there  you  will 
find  peace  and  rest.  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  I'est."  The  darkest  hour  that 
ever  was  in  this  world  gives  light  to  the  weary  soul.  The  sight 
of  the  cross  brings  within  sight  of  the  crown.  That  dying  sigh, 
which  made  the  rocks  to  rend,  alone  can  rend  the  veil,  and  give 
you  peace.     The  Place  of  a  Skull  is  the  place  of  joy. 

2.   What  is  it  ? — A  feast  of  fat  things,  of  wines  on  the  lees. 

(1.)  A  feast.  It  is  not  a  meal,  but  a  feast.  At  a  meal,  it  is  well 
if  there  be  enough  for  all  who  sit  round  the  table  :  but  at  a  feast, 
there  should  be  more  than  enough  ;  there  is  a  liberal  abundance. 
The  Gospel  is  compared  to  a  feast :  "  Come,  eat  of  my  bread,  and 
drink  of  the  wine  that  I  have  mingled." — Prov.  ix. 

Again,  in  the  Song  of  Songs  :  "  He  brought  me  to  the  banquet- 
ing house,  and  his  banner  over  me  was  love."  "  Stay  me  with 
flagons,  comfort  me  with  apples  ;  for  I  am  sick  of  love."  Again, 
in  Matt.  xxii. :  "  Tell  them  which  are  bidden.  Behold,  I  have  pre- 
pared my  dinner  ;  my  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all 
things  are  ready  :  come  unto  the  marriage." 

So  it  is  in  Jesus ;  there  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare.  He 
came  that  we  might  have  life,  and  might  have  it  more  abundantly. 
There  is  a  feast  in  a  crucified  Jesus.  His  dying  in  the  stead  of 
sinners  is  enough,  and  more  than  enough,  to  answer  for  our  sins. 


SERMON    XLIV.  259 

It  is  not  only  equal  to  my  dying,  but  it  is  far  more  glorifying  to 
God  a?id  his  holy  law,  than  if  I  had  suffered  a  hundred  deaths. 
"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  ;  ye  have  received  at  the  Lord's  hand 
double  for  all  your  sins."  His  obeying  in  the  stead  of  sinners  is 
enough,  and  more  than  enough,  to  cover  our  nakedness.  It  is  not 
only  equal  to  my  obeying,  but  it  is  far  more  glorifying  to  God  than 
if  I  had  never  sinned.  His  garment  not  only  clothes  the  naked 
soul,  but  clothes  from  head  to  foot ;  so  that  no  shame  appears  ; 
only  Christ  appears,  the  soul  is  hid.  His  Spirit  is  not  only 
enough,  but  more  than  enough,  to  make  us  holy.  There  is  a  well 
in  Christ  which  we  never  can  exhaust — still  rivers  of  grace  which 
we  never  can  drink  dry. 

Christians,  learn  to  feed  more  on  Christ :  "  Eat,  O  friends  ! 
drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  beloved  !"  When  you  are  asked 
to  a  feast,  there  is  no  greater  affront  you  can  put  upon  the  enter- 
tainer than  by  being  content  with  a  crumb  below  the  table.  Yet 
this  is  the  way  the  Christians  of  our  day  affront  the  Lord  of  glory. 
Oh  how  few  seem  to  feed  much  on  Christ  !  how  few  seem  to  put 
on  his  white  flowing  raiment !  how  few  seem  to  drink  deep  into 
his  Spirit !  Most  are  content  with  now  and  then  a  glimpse  of 
pardon,  a  crumb  from  the  table,  and  a  drop  of  his  Spirit.  Awake, 
dear  friends  !  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you  that  your  joy 
may  be  full." 

(2.)  A  feast  of  fat  things,  of  wines  on  the  lees. 

The  fat  things  full  of  marrow  are  intended  to  represent  the  rich- 
est and  most  nourishing  delicacies  ;  and  the  wines  on  the  lees 
well  refined,  to  represent  the  oldest  and  richest  wines  ;  so  that,  not 
only  is  there  abundance  in  this  feast,  but  abundance  of  the  best. 
Ah  !  so  it  is  in  Christ.  First,  There  is  forgiveness  of  all  past  sins. 
Ah  !  this  is  the  richest  of  all  delicacies  to  a  heavy  laden  soul.  As 
cold  water  to  a  thirsty  soul,  so  is  good  news  from  a  far  country. 
A  good  conscience  is  a  perpetual  feast.  Oh  !  weary  sinner,  taste 
and  see.  "  I  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and 
his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste."  These  are  the  apples  that  a 
weary  soul  cries  out  for :  "  Comfort  me  with  apples ;  for  I  am 
sick  of  love."  Second,  There  are  the  smiles  of  the  Father.  The 
Father  himself  loveth  you.  Oh,  to  pass  from  the  frown  of  an  angry 
God  into  the  smile  of  a  loving  Father  !  this  is  a  feast  to  the  soul ; 
this  is  to  pass  from  death  unto  life.  Third,  The  droppings  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  soul — ah  I  it  is  this  which  comforts  the  soul.  This 
is  the  oil  of  gladness  that  makes  the  face  to  shine.  This  makes 
the  cup  run  over.  This  is  the  full  well  rising  within  the  soul,  at 
once  comforting  and  purifying.  Dear  friends,  be  not  filled  with 
wine,  wherein  is  excess  ;  but  be  filled  with  the  Spirit.  These  are 
the  flagons  that  stay  the  soul.  May  you  be  in  the  Spirit  on  the 
Lord's-day  ! 

3.  For  whom  is  it  ?  Unto  all  people.  "  The  Gospel  is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  belie  veth  ;  to  the 


260  SERMON    XLIT. 

Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek."  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  Ah  !  there  is  not  a  crea- 
ture under  heaven  for  whom  the  feast  is  not  prepared.  There  is 
not  a  creature  fronn  whom  we  can  keep  back  the  message: 
"  All  things  are  ready  ;  come  to  the  marriage." 

Dear  anxious  souls,  why  do  you  keep  away  from  Christ?  you 
say  (Christ  is  far  from  you ;  alas  !  he  has  been  at  your  door  all 
day.  Christ  is  as  free  to  you  as  to  any  that  ever  came  to  him. 
Come  hungry,  come  empty,  come  sinful,  come  as  you  are  to  feed 
on  glorious  Jesus.     He  is  a  feast  to  the  hungry  soul. 

Dear  dead  souls,  that  never  felt  one  throb  of  anxiety,  that  never 
uttered  one  heartfelt  cry  to  God,  this  message  is  for  you.  The 
feast  is  for  all  people.  Christ  is  as  free  to  you  as  to  any  other : 
"  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  your  simplicity?"  "  The 
Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come." 

II.   The  tearing  away  of  the  veil. 

1.  Observe  there  is  a  veil  over  every  natural  heart,  a  thick  im- 
penetrable veil.  (1.)  There  was  a  veil  in  the  temple  over  the 
entrance  to  the  holiest  of  all,  so  that  no  eye  could  see  the  beauty 
of  the  Lord  within.  (2.)  There  was  a  veil  over  the  face  of  Moses, 
when  he  came  down  from  the  mount,  for  something  of  the  bright- 
ness of  Christ  shone  in  his  countenance.  When  the  veil  was  down 
they  could  not  see  his  glory.  (3.)  So  there  is  a  veil  upon  the 
hearts  of  the  Jews  to  this  day,  when  Moses  and  the  prophets  are 
read  to  them.  (4.)  So  is  there  a  veil  over  your  hearts,  so  many 
of  you  as  are  in  your  natural  state  ;  a  thick,  impenetrable  veil ; 
its  name  is  unbelief.  The  same  veil  that  hid  the  beauty  of  the 
promised  land  from  Israel  in  Kadesh-barnea — "  for  they  could 
not  enter  in,  because  of  unbelief" — that  veil  is  over  your  hearts 
this  day. 

Learn  the  great  reason  of  your  indifference  to  Christ.  The  veil 
is  upon  your  heart.  God  may  lay  down  all  the  riches  of  his 
bosom  on  the  table — the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ ;  yet  so 
long  as  that  veil  is  over  you,  you  will  not  move.  You  see  no  form 
nor  comeliness  in  Christ :  "  And  when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is  no 
beauty  that  we  should  desire  him." — Isa.  hii.,  2.  "  The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him  :  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned." — 1  Cor.  ii.,  14. 

2.  Who  takes  the  veil  away  ?  Ans.  The  Lord  of  hosts :  he 
that  makes  the  feast  is  he  that  tears  the  veil  away.  Ah !  it  is  a 
work  of  God  to  take  away  that  covering.  We  may  argue  with 
you  till  midnight,  telling  you  of  your  sin  and  misery — we  may 
bring  all  the  sweetest  words  in  the  Bible  to  show  you  that  Christ 
is  fairer  than  the  children  of  men  ;  still  you  will  go  home  and  say, 
We  see  no  beauty  in  him.  But  God  can  take  away  the  veil ; 
sometimes  he  does  it  in  a  moment — sometimes  slowly ;  then  Christ 


SERMON   XLIV.  261 

is  revealed,  and  Christ  is  precious.  There  is  not  one  of  you  so 
sunk  in  sin  and  worldliness — so  dull  and  heartless  in  the  things  of 
God — but  your  heart  would  be  overcome  by  the  sight  of  an  un- 
veiled Saviour.  Oh  !  let  us  plead  this  promise  with  God  : 
"  He  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering  cast 
over  all  people,  and  the  veil  that  is  spread  over  all  nations.' 
Come  and  do  it,  Lord.  "  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you." 
Pour  quickly,  Lord. 

3.  Where?  "In  this  Ynountain" — in  the  same  place  where  he 
makes  the  feast;  he  takes  the  soul  to  Calvary.  Ah,  yes;  it  is 
■within  sight  of  the  crucified  Saviour  that  God  takes  every  veil 
away. 

Anxious  souls,  wait  near  the  cross.  Meditate  upon  Christ,  and 
him  crucified.  It  is  there  that  God  tears  the  veil  away.  Be  often 
at  Gelhsemane — be  often  at  Golgotha.  Oh  !  that  next  Sabbath  he 
may  reveal  himself  to  all  in  the  breaking  of  bread.  As  easy  to 
a  thousand  as  to  one  soul ! 

III.  Effects. 

1.  Triumph  over  death.  (1.)  Even  here  this  is  fulfilled.  Often 
the  fear  of  death  is  taken  away  in  those  who  trembled  before. 
The  soul  that  has  really  had  the  veil  taken  away  can  go  through 
the  valley,  if  not  singing,  at  least  humbly  trusting,  and  can  say  at 
the  end,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit!"  Ah!  nothing  but  a 
real  sight  of  Christ  can  cheer  in  death.  Worldly  people  can  die 
stupidly  and  insensibly ;  but  the  unveiled  Christian  alone  can  feel 
in  death  that  the  sting  is  taken  away.  (2.)  In  resurrection.  When 
we  stand  like  Christ  in  body  and  soul — "  When  the  sea  has  given 
up  the  dead  that  are  in  it,  and  death  and  hell  the  dead  that  are  in 
them" — "  When  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption — 
then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory." 

Dear  friends,  what  solemn  scenes  are  before  us !  Ah  I  nothing 
but  a  sight  of  Christ  as  our  own  Surety  and  Redeemer  can  uphold 
us,  in  sight  of  opening  graves  and  reeling  worlds.  We  shall  re- 
member his  own  words,  and  be  still :  "I  will  ransom  them  from 
the  power  of  the  grave  :  I  will  redeem  them  from  death.  O  death, 
I  will  be  thy  plagues  ;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction."  "Father, 
I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me  may  be  with  me, 
where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 

2.  Triumph  over  sorrow.  (L)  Even  here,  God  wipes  away  the 
tears  of  conviction,  the  tears  of  sin  and  shame,  by  revealing  Christ. 
A  work  of  grace  always  begins  in  tears  ;  but  when  God  takes  the 
soul  to  Calvary — look  here :  There  are  thy  sins  laid  upon  Im- 
manuel ;  there  the  Lamb  of  God  is  bearing  them  ;  there  is  all  the 
hell  that  thou  shalt  suffer.  Oh,  how  sweetly  does  God  wipe  away 
the  tears  !  Anxious  souls,  may  God  do  this  for  you  next  Sabbath- 
day  !     (2.)  Complete  fulfilment  after.     There  will  always  be  tears 


262  SERMON    XLV. 

here,  because  of  sm,  temptation,  sorrow  ;  but  there  "  they  shall 
hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more  ;  neither  shall  the  sun 
light  on  them,  nor  any  heat;  for  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living 
fountains  of  waters,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes." 

3.  Triumph  over  reproaches. — Even  here  God  lifts  his  people 
above  reproaches  ;  he  enables  them  to  bless,  and  curse  not :  '•  Love 
your  enemies ;  bless  them  that  curse  ymj,  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you  and  per- 
secute you."  But  there  shall  be  full  triumph  yonder.  He  will 
clear  up  our  character.  Here  we  may  endure  reproaches  all  the 
way!  Christians  are  slighted,  despised,  trampled  on,  here  ;  but 
God  will  acknowledge  them  as  his  jewels  at  last.  The  world  will 
stand  aghast. 


SERMON  XLV. 


THE  HEART    DECEITFUL. 


"  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked  :  who  can  know 
it  ?  I  the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins,  even  to  give  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  ways,  and  according  to  the  fruit  of  his  doings." — Jer.  xvii.,  9,  10. 

L  The  state  of  the  natural  heart. — Verse  9.  This  is  a  faithful 
description  of  the  natural  heart  of  man:  The  heart  of  unfallen 
Adam  was  very  different.  "  God  made  man  upright."  His  mind 
was  clear  and  heavenly.  It  was  riveted  upon  divine  things.  He 
saw  their  glory  without  any  cloud  or  dimness.  His  heart  was 
right  with  God.  His  affections  flowed  sweetly  and  fully  towards 
God.  He  loved  as  God  loved,  hated  as  God  hated.  There  was 
no  deceit  about  his  heart  then.  It  was  transparent  as  crystal. 
He  had  nothing  to  conceal.  There  was  no  wickedness  in  his 
heart;  no  spring  of  hatred,  or  lust,  or  pride.  He  knew  his  own 
heart.  He  could  see  clearly  into  its  deepest  recesses  ;  for  it  was 
just  a  reflection  of  the  heart  of  God.  When  Adam  sinned,  his 
heart  was  changed.  When  he  lost  the  favor  of  God  he  lost  the 
image  of  God.  Just  as  Nebuchadnezzar  suddenly  got  a  beast's 
heart,  so  Adam  suddenly  got  a  heart  in  the  image  of  the  devil. 
And  this  is  the  description  ever  since.  "  The  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked." — Verse  9. 

1.  //  is  "  deceitful  above  all  things." — Deceit  is  one  of  the  prime 
elements  of  the  natural  heart.  It  is  more  full  of  deceit  than  any 
other  object.  We  sometimes  call  the  sea  deceitful.  At  evening 
the  sea  appears  perfectly  calm,  or  there  is  a  gentle  ripple  on  the 


SERMON    XLV.  263 

waters,  and  the  wind  blows  favorably  ;  during  the  night  a  storm 
may  come  on,  and  the  treacherous  waves  are  now  like  mountain 
billows,  covering  the  ship.  But  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things :  more  treacherous  than  the  treacherous  sea.  The  clouds 
are  often  very  deceitful.  Sometimes,  in  a  time  of  drought,  they 
promise  rain ;  bat  they  turn  out  to  be  clouds  without  rain,  and  the 
farmer  is  disappointed.  Sometimes  the  clouds  appear  calm  and 
settled  ;  but,  before  the  morning,  torrents  of  rain  are  falHng.  But 
the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things.  Many  animals  are  de- 
ceitful. The  serpent  is  more  subtle  than  any  beast  of  the  field ; 
sometimes  it  will  appear  quite  harmless,  but  suddenly  it  will  put 
out  its  deadly  sting  and  give  a  mortal  wound.  But  the  natural 
heart  is  more  deceitful  than  a  serpent ;  above  all  things.  It  is 
deceitful  in  two  ways ;  in  deceiving  others  and  itself. 

(1.)  In  deceiving  others. — Every  natural  man  is  a  hypocrite. 
He  is  different  in  reality  from  what  he  appears  to  be.  I  undertake 
to  say,  that  there  is  not  a  natural  man  present  here  to-day  in  his  true 
colors.  If  every  natural  man  here  were  to  throw  off  his  disguise, 
and  appear  as  he  really  is,  this  church  would  look  more  like  the 
gate  of  hell  than  the  gate  of  heaven.  If  every  unclean  man  were 
to  lay  bare  his  heart,  and  show  his  abominable,  filthy  desires  and 
thoughts  ;  if  every  dishonest  man  were  now  to  open  his  heart,  and 
let  us  see  all  his  frauds,  all  his  covetous,  base  desires ;  if  every 
proud,  self-conceited  one  were  now  to  show  us  what  is  going  on 
below  his  coat,  or  below  that  silk  gown ;  to  let  us  see  the  paltry 
schemes  of  vanity  and  desire  of  praise  ;  if  every  unbeliever  among 
you  were  openly  to  reveal  his  hatred  of  Christ  and  of  the  blessed 
Gospel,  O  what  a  hell  would  this  place  appear  !  Why  is  it  not  so  ? 
Because  natural  men  are  deceitful ;  because  you  draw  a  cloak  over 
your  heart,  and  put  on  a  smooth  face,  and  make  the  outside  of  a 
saint  cover  the  heart  of  a  fiend.  Oh  !  your  heart  is  deceitful  above 
all  things.  Every  natural  man  is  a  flatterer.  He  does  not  tell 
other  men  what  he  thinks  of  them.  There  is  no  plain,  honest 
dealing  between  natural  men  in  this  world.  Those  of  you  who 
know  anything  of  this  world,  know  how  hollow  the  most  of  its 
friendships  are.  Just  imagine  for  a  moment  that  every  natural  man 
were  to  speak  the  truth,  when  he  meets  his  friends  ;  suppose  he 
were  to  tell  them  all  the  bitter  slanders  which  he  tells  of  them 
a  hundred  times  behind  their  back;  suppose  he  were  to  unbosom 
himself,  and  tell  all  his  low,  mean  ideas  of  them  ;  how  worldly  and 
selfish  they  are  in  his  eyes ;  alas !  what  a  world  of  quarrels  this 
would  be.  Ah,  no!  natural  man,  you  dare  not  be  honest;  you 
dare  not  speak  the  truth  one  to  another ;  your  heart  is  so  vile  that 
you  must  draw  a  cloak  over  it ;  and  your  thoughts  of  others  so 
abominable  that  you  dare  not  speak  them  out:  "  The  heart  is  de- 
ceitful above  all  things," 

(2.)  It  shows  itself  in  another  way,  in  self  deceit.     Ever  since 
my  coming  among  you  I  have  labored  with  all  my  might  to  sepa- 


264  SERMON    XLV. 

rate  between  the  precious  and  the  vile.  I  have  given  you  many- 
marks,  by  which  you  might  know  whether  or  not  you  have  un- 
dergone a  true  conversion,  or  whether  it  has  only  been  a  deceit 
of  Satan — whether  your  peace  was  the  peace  of  God  or  the  peace 
of  the  devil — whether  you  were  on  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to 
life,  or  on  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  destruction.  I  have  done 
my  best  to  give  you  the  plainest  Scripture  marks  by  which  you 
might  know  your  real  case ;  and  yet  I  would  not  be  in  the  least 
surprised,  if  the  most  of  you  were  found  at  the  last  to  have  de- 
ceived yourselves.  Often  a  man  is  deeply  concerned  about  his 
soul ;  he  weeps  and  prays,  and  joins  himself  to  others  who  are 
inquiring.  He  now  changes  his  way  of  life,  and  changes  his  no- 
tions ;  he  talks  of  his  experience,  and  enlargement  in  prayer ; 
perhaps  he  condemns  others  very  bitterly ;  and  yet  has  no  true 
change  of  life,  walks  after  the  flesh  still,  not  after  the  Spirit.  Now, 
others  think  this  man  a  true  Christian,  and  he  believes  it  himself; 
yea,  he  thinks  he  is  a  very  eminent  Christian ;  when,  all  the  time, 
he  has  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  is  none  of  his.  Ah !  "  the 
heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things." 

2.  '' Desperatehj  wicked.^' — This  word  is  borrowed  from  the 
book  of  the  physician.  When  the  physician  is  called  to  see  a  pa- 
tient past  recovery,  he  shakes  his  head  and  says :  This  is  a  despe- 
rate case.  This  is  the  very  word  used  here.  "  The  heart  is  des- 
perately wicked,"  past  cure  by  human  medicine.  Learn  that  you 
need  conversion,  or  a  new  heart.  When  we  speak  of  the  necessity 
of  a  change  to  some  people,  they  begin  to  be  affected  by  it,  and  so 
they  put  away  some  evil  habits,  as  drinking,  or  swearing,  or  lying ; 
they  put  these  away,  and  promise  never  to  go  back  to  them  ;  and 
now  they  think  the  work  is  done,  and  they  are  in  a  fair  way  for 
heaven.  Alas,  foolish  man !  it  is  not  your  drinking,  or  your 
swearing,  or  your  lying,  that  are  desperately  wicked,  but  your 
heart.  You  have  only  been  cutting  off  the  streams,  the  heart 
remains  as  wicked  as  ever.  It  is  the  heart  that  is  incurable.  It 
is  a  new  heart  you  need.  Nothing  less  will  answer  your  need. 
Learn  that  you  must  go  to  Christ  for  this.  When  the  woman  had 
spent  her  all  upon  physicians,  and  was  nothing  better,  but  rather 
worse,  she  heard  of  Jesus.  Ah  !  said  she,  if  I  may  but  "  touch 
the  hem  of  his  garment  I  shall  be  made  whole."  Jesus  said  to 
her :  "  Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole."  Come,  then,  incurable,  to  Christ.  The  leprosy  was  al- 
ways regarded  as  incurable.  Accordingly,  the  leper  came  to 
Jesus,  and  worshipping,  said:  "Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst 
make  me  clean.  Jesus  said,  I  will,  be  thou  clean ;  and  immedi- 
ately his  leprosy  was  cleansed."  Some  of  you  feel  that  your 
heart  is  desperately  wicked ;  well,  kneel  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
say  :  "  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou,  canst  make  me  clean."  You  are 
a  leper — incurable ;  Jesus  is  able — he  is  also  willing  to  make  you 
clean. 


SERMON   XLV.  265 

3,   Unsearchably  wicked :  "  Who  can  know  it  ?" — No  man  ever 
yet  knew  the  badness  of  his  own   heart.     We  are  saiHnfr  over  a 
sea  the  depths  of  which  we  have  never  fathomed.     (1.)   Unawak- 
enedpersons  have  no  idea  of  what  is  in  their  heart.     When  EHjah 
told  Hazael  what  a  horrible  murderer  he  would  be,  Hazael  said  : 
"Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  thing?"     The  seeds  of 
it  were  all  in  his  heart  at  that  moment ;  but  he  did  not  know  his  own 
heart.     If  I  had  told  some  of  you,  when  you  were  little  children 
playing  beside  your  mother's  knee,  the  sins  that  you  were  afterwards 
to  commit,  you  would  have  said :  "  Am  I  a  dog,  that  I  should  do  this 
thing?"  andyet  you  see  you  have  done  them.     If  I  could  show  each 
of  you  the  sins  that  you  are  yet  to  commit,  you  would  be  shocked 
and  horrified.    This  shows  how  ignorant  you  are  of  your  own  heart. 
I  suppose  that  the  most  of  you  think  it  quite  impossible  you  should 
ever  be  guilty  of  murder,  or  adultery,  or  apostasy,  or  the   sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  this  arises  from  ignorance  of  your  own 
black  heart:  "  Who  can  know  it?"     (2.)  Some  awakened  persons 
have  an  awful   sight  given  them  of  the  wickedness  of  their  own 
hearts.     They  see  all  the  sins  of  their  past  life,  as  it  were,  con- 
centrated there.     They  see, that  their  past  sins  all  come  out  of 
their  heart — and  that  the  same  may  come  out  again.     And  yet 
the  most  awakened  sinner  does  not  see  the  ten  thousandth  part 
of  the  wickedness  of  his  heart.     You  are  like  a  person  looking 
down  into  a  dark  pit ;  you  can  only  see  a  few  yards  down  the 
side  of  the  pit ;  so  you  can  only  see  a  little  way  down  into  your 
heart.     It  is  a  pit  of  corruption  which  is  bottomless  :  "  Who  can 
know  it?"     (3.)  Some  children  of  God  have  amazing  discoveries 
given  them  of  the  wickedness  of  their  own   hearts.     Sometimes 
it  is  given  them  to  see  that  the  germs  of  every  sin  are  lodo-ino- 
there.     Sometimes  they  see  that  there  never  was  a  sin  committed, 
in  heaven,  in  earth,  or  in  hell,  but  it  has  something  corresponding 
to  it  in  their  own  heart.     Sometimes  they  see,  that  if  there  were 
not  another  fountain  of  sin,  from  which  the  fair  face  of  creation 
might  be  defaced,  their  own   heart  is  a  fountain  inexhaustible, 
enough  to  corrupt  every  creature,  and  to  defile  every  fair  spot  in 
the  universe.     And  yet  even  they  do  not  know  their  own   hearts. 
You  are  like  a  traveller  looking  down  into  the  crater  of  a  volcano; 
but  the  smoke  will  not  suffer  you  to  look  far.     You  see  only  a  few 
yards  into  the  smoking  volcano  of  your  own  heart. 

Learn  to  be  humbled  far  more  than  you  have  ever  been.  None 
of  you  have  ever  been  sufficiently  humbled  under  a  sense  of  sin; 
for  this  reason,  that  none  of  you  have  ever  seen  fully  the  plague 
of  your  own  heart.  There  are  chambers  in  your  heart  you  have 
never  yet  seen  into.  There  are  caves  in  that  ocean  you  have 
never  fathomed.  There  are  fountains  of  bitterness  you  have 
never  tasted.  When  you  have  felt  the  wickedness  of  your 
heart  to  the  uttermost,  then  lie  down  under  this  awful  truth,  that 
you  have  only  seen  a  few  yards  into  a  pit  that  is  bottomless,  that 


266  SERMON    XLV. 

you  carry  about  with  you  a  slumbering  volcano ;  a  heart  whose 
wickedness  you  do  not  and  cannot  know. 

II.   The  witness  of  the  heart. 

1.  "  /,  the  LordJ'  We  have  seen  that  we  do  not  know  one  ano- 
ther's hearts ;  for  "  the  heart  is  deceitful."  Man  looketh  on  the 
outward  appearance.  We  have  seen  that  no  man  knows  his  own 
heart,  that  the  most  know  nothing  of  what  is  there  ;  and  those  who 
know  most,  see  but  a  short  way  down.  But  here  is  an  unerring 
witness.     He  that  made  man  knows  what  is  in  man. 

2.  Observe  what  a  strict  witness  he  is :  "  I,  the  Lord,  search  the 
heart,  I  try  the  reins."  It  is  not  said,  I  know  the  heart — but,  I 
search  it.  The  heart  of  man  is  not  one  of  the  many  objects  upon 
which  God  turns  his  all-seeing  eye,  but  it  is  one  which  he  singles 
out  for  investigation :  "  I  search  the  heart."  As  the  astronomer 
directs  his  telescope  upon  the  very  star  which  he  wishes  to  ex- 
amine, and  arranges  all  his  lenses,  that  he  may  most  perfectly  look 
at  it,  so  doth  God's  calm  eye  pore  upon  the  naked  breast  of  every 
man.  As  the  refiner  of  silver  keeps  his  eye  upon  the  fining-pot, 
watching  every  change  in  the  boiling  metal ;  so  doth  God's  eye 
watch  every  change  in  the  bosom  of  man.  Oh  !  natural  man, 
can  you  bear  this?  How  vain  are  all  your  pretences  and  coverings  ; 
God  sees  you  as  you  aie.  You  may  deceive  your  neighbor,  or 
your  minister,  or  yourself,  but  you  cannot  deceive  God. 

3.  Observe  he  is  a  constant  witness. — He  does  not  say  I  have 
searched,  or  I  will  do  it — but,  I  search — I  do  it  now,  and  always. 
Not  a  moment  of  our  life  but  his  pure,  calm,  searching  eye  has 
been  gazing  on  (he  inmost  recesses  of  our  hearts.  From  childhood 
to  old  age  his  eye  rests  on  us.  The  darkness  hidethnot  from  him. 
The  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  him. 

4.  Observe  his  end  in  searching :  "  Even  to  give  every  man 
according  to  his  ways,  and  according  to  the  fruit  of  his  doings." 
Verse  10.  In  order  to  know  the  true  value  of  an  action,  you  must 
search  the  heart.  Many  an  action  that  is  applauded  by  men, 
is  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  searches  the  heart.  To 
give  an  alms  to  a  poor  man,  may  either  be  an  action  worthy  of 
an  eternal  reward,  or  worthy  of  an  eternal  punisiiment.  If  it  be 
done  out  of  love  to  Christ,  because  the  poor  man  is  a  disciple  of 
Christ,  it  will  in  no  wise  lose  its  reward  ;  Christ  will  say  ;  "Inas- 
much as  ye  did  it  to  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto 
me."  If  it  be  done  out  of  pride  or  self-righteousness,  Christ  will  cast 
it  from  him:  he  will  say,  "Depart  ye  cursed — ye  did  it  not  unto  me." 
The  reason,  then,  why  Christ  searches  the  heart  is,  that  he  may 
judge  uprightly  in  the  judgment.  Oh,  sirs  !  how  can  you  bear  this, 
you  that  are  Christless  ?  How  can  you  bear  that  eye  on  your 
heart  all  your  days,  and  to  be  judged  according  to  what  his  pure 
eye  sees  in  you?  Oh  !  do  you  not  see  it  is  a  gone  case  with  you? 
"  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant ;  tor  in  thy  sight  shall 


SERMON   XLVI.  267 

no  flesh  living  be  justified."  Oh  !  if  your  heart  be  desperately- 
wicked,  and  his  pure  eye  ever  poring  on  it,  what  can  you  expect, 
but  that  he  sliould  cast  you  into  hell  ?  Oh  !  flee  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  shelter,  for  blood  to  blot  out  past  sins,  and  righteousness 
to  cover  you.     "  See,  God,  our  shield." 

Leai'n  the  amazing  love  of  Christ. — He  was  the  only  one  that 
knew  the  wickedness  of  the  beings  for  whom  he  died.  He  that 
searches  the  hearts  of  sinners  died  for  them.  His  eye  alone  had 
searched  their  hearts ;  aye,  was  searching  at  the  time  he  came. 
He  knew  what  was  in  man  ;  yet  he  did  not  abhor  them  on  that 
account — he  died  for  them.  It  was  not  for  any  goodness  in  man 
that  he  died  for  man.  He  saw  none.  It  was  not  that  he  saw 
little  sin  in  the  heart  of  man,  that  he  pitied  him  and  died  for  him. 
He  is  the  only  being  in  the  universe  that  saw  all  the  sin  that  is  in 
the  unfathomable  heart  of  man.  He  saw  to  the  bottom  of  the 
volcano,  and  yet  he  came  and  died  for  man.  Herein  is  love ! 
When  publicans  and  sinners  came  to  him  on  earth,  he  knew  what 
was  in  their  hearts.  His  eye  had  rested  on  their  bosoms  all  their  life, 
he  had  seen  all  the  lusts  and  passions  that  had  ever  rankled  there ; 
yet  in  no  wise  did  he  cast  them  out.  So  with  you.  His  eye  hath 
seen  all  your  sins  ;  the  vilest,  darkest,  blackest  hours  you  have 
lived,  his  pure  eye  was  resting  on  you  ;  yet  he  died  for  such, 
and  invites  you  to  come  to  him ;  and  will  in  no  wise  cast  you 
out.     Amen. 


SERMON  XLVI. 


TRUST    IN    THE    LORD. 


"  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart ;  and  lean  not  unto  thine  own  understand- 
ing."— Prov   iii.,  5. 

When  an  awakened  soul  is  brought  to  God  to  believe  on  Jesus, 
he  enjoys  for  the  first  time  that  calm  and  blessed  state  of  mind 
which  the  Bible  calls  peace  in  believing.  The  sorrows  of  death 
were  compassing  him,  and  the  pains  of  hell  getting  hold  on  him  ; 
but  now  he  can  say  :  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul."  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  when  this  heaven  upon  earth  is  first 
realized  in  the  once  anxious  bosom,  the  young  believer  should  often 
imagine  that  heaven  is  already  gained,  and  that  he  has  bid  fare- 
well to  sin  and  sorrow  for  evermore.  But,  alas  !  it  may  need  but 
the  passing  away  of  one  little  day  to  convince  him  that  heaven  is 
not  yet  gained,  that  though  the  Red  Sea  may  be  passed,  yet  there 
is  a  wide  howling  wilderness  to  pass  through,  and  many  au  enemy 


268  SERMON    XLVI. 

to  be  overcome,  before  the  soul  can  enter  into  the  land  of  which 
it  is  said,  that  "  the  people  are  all  righteous." 

The  first  breath  of  temptation  from  without,  or  the  first  rise  of 
corruption  from  within,  awakens  new  and  strange  anxieties  within 
the  believing  bosom.  He  had  just  put  on  the  breastplate  of  the 
Redeemer's  righteousness,  but  these  noxious  vapors  tarnish  and 
bedim  its  burnished  steel.  Alas  !  he  cries,  what  good  will  it  do 
me  to  be  rid. of  all  accusations  from  past  sins,  if  I  am  not  secure 
from  raising  up  new  accusers  in  the  days  to  come  ?  What  good 
will  the  forgiveness  of  past  sins  do  me,  if,  every  step  of  my  life,  I 
am  to  fall  into  new  sin  ? 

The  young  believer  in  this  state  of  mind  is  just  like  a  traveller 
in  the  midst  of  a  dangerous  wood.  He  has  been  brought  into  a 
place  of  perfect  security  for  the  present.  He  can  hear  the  cry 
of  the  wolves  behind  him  without  the  least  alarm,  for  he  is  brought 
into  a  fortress,  a  strong  tower,  where  he  is  safe  ;  but  when  he 
thinks  of  his  further  journey,  when  he  remembers  that  he  is  still 
in  the  midst  of  the  wood,  and  still  far  from  home,  alas  !  he  knows 
not  how  to  move  ;  he  knows  not  which  path  will  lead  him  right, 
and  which  will  lead  him  wrong.  When  the  lost  sheep  was  found 
by  the  good  shepherd,  it  was  safe  in  that  moment,  as  safe  as  if  it 
were  already  in  the  fold  ;  and  yet  it  M'as  doubtless  in  great  per- 
plexity how  to  get  back  again,  it  had  wandered  so  far  over  the 
mountains,  and  down  into  the  valleys,  and  across  the  brooks,  and 
through  the  thorny  brakes,  that  it  was  impossible  the  bewildered 
sheep  could  find  its  way  back  ;  and  therefore  it  is  said  that  the 
good  shepherd  laid  it  on  his  shoulder  rejoicing. 

And  just  so  it  is  with  the  soul  that  is  found  by  Christ.  Washed 
in  his  blood,  he  may  feel  as  secure  and  as  much  at  peace  as  if  he 
were  already  in  heaven ;  but  when  he  looks  to  the  thousand  en- 
tanglements in  the  midst  of  which  he  has  wandered,  the  evil 
habits,  the  evil  companions  that  lay  snares  for  him  on  every  hand, 
alas  !  he  is  forced  to  cry :  How  shall  I  walk  in  such  a  world  as 
this  ?  I  thought  I  was  saved  ;  but,  alas  !  I  am  only  saved  to  be 
lost  again.  So  real  and  so  painful  is  this  state  of  mind,  that  some 
young  believers  have  actually  wished  to  die  that  they  might  be  rid 
of  these  tormenting  anxieties.  But  there  is  a  far  more  excellent 
way  pointed  out  in  the  words  before  us : 

"Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart: 
And  lean  not  to  thine  own  understanding 
In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him, 
And  he  shall  direct  thy  paths." 

This  is  a  word  in  season  to  the  bewildered  believer ;  and  "  a  word 
spoken  in  due  season,  how  good  is  it !" 

First  of  all,  Consider  what  this  grace  is  that  is  here  recom- 
mended :  •'  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart." 


SERMON    XLVI.  269 

When  the  Philippian  jailer  cried  out :  "  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  the  simple  answer  was:  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  His  great  anxiety  was  to  escape 
from  under  the  wrath  of  the  God  of  the  earthquake  ;  and,  there- 
fore, they  simply  pointed  to  the  bleeding  Lamb  of  God.  He  looks 
to  Jesus  doing  all  that  we  should  have  done,  and  suffering  all  that 
we  should  have  suffered  ;  and  while  he  looks,  his  anxiety  is  healed, 
and  a  sweet  heavenly  peace  springs  up  within,  the  peace  of  be- 
lieving. But  the  inquirer  who  is  spoken  to  in  the  text  is  one  who 
already  enjoys  the  peace  of  a  justified  man,  but  wants  to  know 
how  he  may  enjoy  the  peace  of  a  sanctified  man.  A  new  anxiety 
hath  sprung  up  within  his  bosom,  as  to  how  he  shall  order  his  steps 
in  the  world  ;  and  unless  this  anxiety  also  can  be  healed,  it  is  to 
be  feared  his  joy  in  believing  will  be  sadly  interrupted.  How 
seasonable  then,  is  the  word  which  points  at  once  to  the  re- 
medy !  and  how  amazing  is  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel  method 
of  salvation,  when  the  soul  is  directed  just  to  look  again  to  Jesus: 
"  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart."  When  you  came  to  us 
weary  and  heavy  laden  with  guilt,  we  pointed  you  to  Jesus ;  for 
he  is  the  Lord  our  righteousness.  When  you  come  to  us  again, 
groaning  under  the  power  of  indwelling  sin,  we  point  you  again 
to  Jesus ;  for  he  is  the  Lord  our  strength.  It  is  the  true  mark  of 
a  false  and  ignorant  physician  of  bodies,  when  to  every  sufferer, 
whatever  be  the  disease,  he  applies  the  same  remedy.  But  it  is 
the  true  mark  of  a  good  and  faithful  physician  of  souls,  when,  to 
every  sick  and  perishing  soul,  in  every  stage  of  the  disease,  he 
brings  the  one,  the  only  remedy,  the  only  balm  in  Gilead. 

Christ  was  anointed  not  only  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  but 
also  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives ;  so  that,  if  it  be  good  and 
wise  to  direct  the  poor  broken-hearted  sinner,  who  has  no  way  of 
justifying  himself,  to  Jesus,  as  his  righteousness,  it  must  be  just  as 
good  and  wise  to  direct  the  poor  believer,  groaning  under  the 
bondage  of  corruption,  having  no  way  to  sanctify  himself,  to  look 
to  Jesus  as  his  wisdom,  his  sanctification,  his  redemption.  Thou 
hast  once  looked  unto  Jesus  as  thy  covenant  head,  bearing  all 
wrath,  fulfilling  all  righteousness  in  thy  stead,  and  that  gave  thee 
peace  ;  well,  look  again  to  the  same  Jesus  as  thy  covenant  head, 
obtaining  by  his  merits  gifts  for  men,  even  the  promise  of  the 
Father,  to  shed  down  on  all  his  members  ;  and  let  that  also  give  thee 
peace.  "  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart."  Thou  hast 
looked  to  Jesus  on  the  cross,  and  that  gave  thee  peace  of  con- 
science ;  look  to  him  now  upon  the  throne,  and  that  will  give  thee 
purity  of  heart.  I  know  of  but  one  way  in  which  a  branch  can 
be  made  a  leafy,  healthy,  fruit-bearing  branch  ;  and  that  is  by  be- 
ing grafted  into  the  vine,  and  abiding  there.  And  just  so  I  know 
of  but  one  way  in  which  a  believer  can  be  made  a  holy,  happy, 
fruitful  child  of  God ;  and  that  is  by  believing  in  Jesus,  abiding  in 
him,  walking  in  him,  being  rooted  and  built  up  in  him. 


270  SERMON    XLVI. 

And  observe  it  is  said  ;  '*  Trust  in  the  Lord  wilh  all  thine  heart.'" 
When  you  believe  in  Jesus  for  righteousness,  you  must  castaway 
all  your  ow^n  claims  for  pardon  ;  your  own  righteousness  must  be 
filthy  rags  in  your  eyes  ;  you  must  come  empty,  that  you  may  go 
away  full  of  Jesus.  And  just  so,  when  you  trust  in  Jesus  for 
strength,  you  must  cast  away  all  your  natural  notions  of  your 
own  strength  ;  you  must  feel  that  your  own  resolutions,  and  vows, 
and  promises,  are  as  useless  to  stem  the  current  of  your  passions, 
as  so  many  straws  would  be  in  stemming  the  mightiest  waterfall. 
You  must  feel  that  your  own  firmness  and  manliness  of  disposi- 
tion, which  has  so  long  been  the  praise  of  your  friends  and  the 
boast  of  your  own  mind,  are  as  powerless,  before  the  breath  of 
temptation,  as  a  broken  reed  before  the  hurricane.  You  must  feel 
that  you  wrestle  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with  spirits  of 
gigantic  power,  in  whose  mighty  grasp  you  are  feeble  as  a  child  ; 
then,  and  then  only,  M'ill  you  come  with  all  your  heart  to  trust  in 
the  Lord  your  strength.  When  the  believer  is  weakest,  then  is 
he  strongest.  The  child  that  knows  most  its  utter  feebleness, 
intrusts  itself  most  completely  into  the  mother's  arms.  The  young 
eagle  that  knows,  by  many  a  fall,  its  own  inability  to  fly,  yields 
itself  to  be  carried  on  the  mother's  mighty  wing.  When  it  is 
weak,  then  it  is  strong  ;  and  just  so  the  believer,  when  he  has  found 
out,  by  repeated  falls,  his  own  utter  feebleness,  clings  with  sim- 
plest faith,  to  the  arm  of  the  Saviour — leans  on  his  Beloved,  com- 
ing up  out  of  the  wilderness,  and  hears  with  joy  the  word  :  "  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness." 

But  secondly/,  Consider  how  this  grace  of  trusting  hinders  the 
believer  from  leaning  to  his  own  understanding. 

"  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart ; 
And  lean  not  to  thine  own  understanding." 

Well  may  every  soul  that  is  untaught  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ex- 
claim :  "  This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it  ?"  and,  indeed, 
there  is  perhaps  no  truth  that  calls  forth  more  of  the  indignant  op- 
position of  the  world  than  this  blessed  one — that  they  who  trust 
in  the  Lord  with  all  their  heart,  do  not  lean  to  their  own  under- 
standing. The  understanding,  here,  plainly  includes  all  the  ob- 
serving, knowing,  and  judging  faculties  of  the  mind,  by  which 
men  ordinarily  guide  themselves  in  the  world  ;  and,  accordingly, 
it  is  with  no  slight  appearance  of  reasonableness  that  the  world 
should  brand  with  the  name  of  fanatics  a  peculiar  set  of  men,  who 
dare  to  say  that  they  are  not  to  lean  upon  these  faculties,  to  guide 
them  in  their  every-day  walk  and  conversation. 

But  surely  it  might  do  something  to  moderate,  at  least,  the  op- 
position of  the  world  (if  they  would  but  listen  to  us),  to  tell  them 
that  we  never  refuse  to  be  guided  by  the  understanding,  although 


sehmon  xlvi.  271 

we  altogether  refuse  to  lean  upon  it.  Every  enlightened  believer, 
however  implicitly  he  depends  upon  the  breathing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  without  whose  almighty  breathing  he  knows  that  his  under- 
standinnj  would  be  but  a  vain  and  useless  machine,  leading  him 
into  darkness,  and  not  into  light,  yet  follows  the  guidance  of  the 
understanding  as  scrupulously  and  as  religiously  as  any  uncon- 
verted man  is  able  to  do  ;  and,  therefore,  it  ought  never  to  be  said 
by  any  man  who  has  a  regard  for  truth,  that  the  believer  in  Jesus 
casts  aside  the  use  of  his  understanding,  and  looks  for  miraculous 
guidance  from  on  high.  The  truth  is  this,  that  he  trusts  in  a  di- 
vine power,  enlightening  the  understanding,  and  he  therefore  fol- 
lows the  dictates  of  the  understanding  more  religiously  than  any 
other  man. 

When  a  man  comes  to  be  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  becomes  a  new 
creature,  not  only  in  heart,  but  in  understanding  also.  The  his- 
tory of  the  world,  the  history  of  missions,  and  individual  experi- 
ence, fully  prove  this ;  and  it  may  not  be  difficult  to  point  out 
what  may  be  called  natural  reasons  for  the  change. 

1.  When  a  man  becomes  a  believer,  a  new  and  untried  field  is 
opened  up  for  the  understanding  to  penetrate  into.  It  is  true  that 
unconverted  men  have  made  dives  into  the  character  of  God,  his 
government,  his  redemption.  But  the  unconverted  man  never 
can  gaze  on  these  things  with  the  love  of  one  interested  in  them ; 
and,  therefore,  he  cannot  know  them  at  all ;  for  God  must  be  loved 
in  order  to  be  known.  But  reconcile  a  man  to  God,  and  the  intel- 
ligence springs  forward  with  a  power  unfelt  before,  and  feels  that 
this  is  life  eternal,  to  know  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath 
sent.     And, 

2.  When  a  man  becomes  a  believer,  he  enters  into  every  pur- 
suit impelled  by  heavenly  affections.  Before,  he  had  none  but 
earthly  motives  to  impel  him  to  gather  knowledge ;  but  now  a 
holy  inquisitiveness  is  instilled  into  his  mind,  and  a  retentiveness 
which  he  never  had  before.  He  looks  with  new  eyes  upon  the 
fields,  the  woods,  the  hills,  the  broad  resplendent  rivers,  and  says  ; 
"  My  Father  made  them  all." 

But  if  these  are  natuial  reasons  for  the  change,  there  is  one 
supernatural  reason  which  is  greater  than  all.  The  believer's  un- 
derstanding is  new  ;  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  now  a  dweller  in  his 
bosom.  He  leans  upon  this  almighty  guest — trusts  in  the  Lord 
the  Spirit — with  all  his  heart,  and  leans  not  to  his  own  under- 
standing. In  the  Prophet  Hosea,  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  is  compared 
to  dew :  "  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel."  Now,  it  is  peculiarly 
true  of  the  dew  that  it  moistens  everything  where  it  falls  ;  it  leaves 
not  one  leaf  unvisited  ;  there  is  not  a  tiny  blade  of  grass  on  which 
its  diamond  di'ops  do  not  descend  ;  every  leaf  and  stem  of  the 
bush  is  burdened  with  the  precious  load  ;  just  so  it  is  peculiarly 
true  of  the  Spirit,  that  there  is  not  a  faculty,  there  is  not  an  afl^ec- 
tion,  a  power,  or  passion  of  the  soul,  on  which  the  Spirit  does  not 


272  SERMON   XLVI. 

descend — working  through  all,  refreshing,  reviving,  renewing, 
recreating  all.  And  if  we  are  really  in  Christ  Jesus,  abiding  in 
him  by  faith,  we  are  bound  to  expect  this  supernatural  power  to 
work  through  our  understanding ;  for  if  we  be  not  led  by  the 
Spirit,  we  are  none  of  his.  But  the  more  implicitly  we  lean  on 
this  loving  Spirit,  is  it  not  plain  aS  day  that  we  all  the  more  im- 
plicitly follow  the  guidance  of  our  understanding  ?  We  do  not 
lean  upon  our  own  understanding ;  for  we  lean  upon  the  Spirit  of 
grace  and  of  wisdom,  who  is  promised  to  guide  us  into  all  truth, 
and  guide  our  footsteps  in  the  way  of  peace.  But  we  do  not 
throw  away  bur  own  understanding;  because  it  is  through  that 
understanding  alone  that  we  look  for  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit. 

In  a  mill  where  the  machinery  is  all  driven  by  water,  the  work- 
"ing  of  the  whole  machinery  depends  upon  the  supply  of  water. 
Cut  off  that  supply,  and  the  machinery  becomes  useless.  Set  on 
the  water,  and  life  and  activity  is  given  to  all.  The  whole  de- 
pendence is  placed  upon  the  outward  supply  of  water  ;  still,  it  is 
obvious  that  we  do  not  throw  away  the  machinery  through  which 
the  power  of  the  water  is  brought  to  bear  upon  the  work.  Just 
so  in  the  believer,  the  whole  man  is  carried  on  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  else  he  is  none  of  his.  The  working  of  every  day  depends 
upon  the  daily  supply  of  the  living  stream  from  on  high.  Cut  off 
that  supply,  and  the  understanding  becomes  a  dark  and  useless 
lump  of  machinery;  for. the  Bible  says  that  unconverted  men 
have  the  understanding  darkened.  Restore  the  divine  Spirit,  and 
life  and  animation  is  given  to  all — the  understanding  is  made  a 
new  creature.  Now,  though  the  whole  leaning  or  dependence 
here  is  upon  the  supply  of  the  Spirit,  still  it  is  obvious  that  we  do 
not  cast  away  the  machinery  of  the  human  mind,  but  rather  honor 
it  far  more  than  the  world. 

Now,  however  difficult  it  may  be  to  explain  all  this  to  the 
world,  it  is  most  beautiful  to  see  how  truly  it  is  acted  on  by  the 
simplest  child  of  God. 

If  you  could  overhear  some  simple  cottage  believer  at  his 
morning  devotions — how  simply  he  brings  himself  in  lost  and 
condemned,  and  therefore  cleaves  to  Jesus,  the  divine  Saviour  ! — 
how  simply  he  brings  himself  in  dark,  ignorant,  unable  to  know 
his  way — unable  to  guide  his  feet,  his  hands,  his  tongue,  through- 
out the  coming  day ;  and,  therefore,  pleading  for  the  promised 
Spirit  to  dwell  in  him — to  walk  in  him — to  be  as  the  dew  upon 
his  soul ;  and  all  this  with  the  earnestness  of  a  man  who  will  not 
go  away  without  the  blessing — you  would  see  what  a  holy  con- 
tempt a  child  of  God  can  put  upon  his  own  understanding,  as  a 
refuge  to  lean  upon.  But,  again,  if  you  could  watch  him  in  his 
daily  walk — in  the  field  and  in  the  market-place — among  the 
wicked  world,  and  see  how  completely  he  follows  the  guidance  of 
a  shrewd  and  inteUigent  mind,  you  would  see  with  what  a  holy 
confidence  a  child  of  God  can  make  use  of  the  faculties  which 


SERMON    XLVII.  2TS 

God  hath  given  him  ;  you  would  see  the  happy  union  of  the 
deepest  piety  and  the  hardest  painstaking  ;  you  would  know  the 
meaning  of  these  words  :  "  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart; 
and  lean  not  unto  thine  own  understanding." 

Dundee  Presbytery,  1836 


SERMON  XLVII. 

NOT  A  JEW  WHICH  IS  ONE  OUTWARDLY. 

"  He  is  rrot  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly ;  neither  is  that  circumcision,  which  is 
outward  in  the  flesh  :  but  he  is  a  Jew,  wliich  is  one  inwardly :  and  circumcision 
is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter  ;  whose  praise  is  not  of 
men,  but  of  God."— Rom.  ii.,  28,  29. 

Formality  is,  perhaps,  the  most  besetting  sin  of  the  human  mind. 
It  is  found  in  every  bosom  and  in  every  clime ;  it  reigns  trium- 
phant in  every  natural  mind  ;  and  it  constantly  tries  to  re-usurp 
the  throne  in  the  heart  of  every  child  of  God.  If  wc  were  to  seek 
for  proof  that  fallen  man  is  "  without  understanding,"  that  he  hath 
altogether  fallen  from  his  primitive  clearness  and  dignity  of  intel- 
ligence ;  that  he  hath  utterly  lost  the  image  of  God,  in  knowledge, 
after  which  he  was  created  ;  we  would  point  to  this  one  strange, 
irrational  conceit  by  which  more  than  one-half  the  world  is 
befooled  to  their  eternal  undoing  ;  that  God  may  be  pleased  with 
mere  bodily  prostrations  and  services ;  that  it  is  possible  to  wor- 
ship God  with  the  lips,  when  the  heart  is  far  from  him.  It  is 
against  this  error,  the  besetting  error  of  humanity,  and  pre-emi- 
nently the  besetting  error  of  the  Jewish  mind,  that  Paul  directs 
the  words  before  us ;  and  it  is  very  noticeable,  that  he  does  not 
condescend  to  argue  the  matter.  He  speaks  with  all  the  decisive- 
ness and  with  all  the  authority  of  one  who  was  not  a  whit  behind 
the  very  chiefest  of  the  apostles,  and  he  lays  it  down  as  a  kind  of 
first  principle  to  which  every  man  of  ordinary  intelligence,  provid- 
ed only  he  will  soberly  consider  the  matter,  must  yield  his  imme- 
diate assent,  that  "  he  is  not  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly ; 
neither  is  that  circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh ;  but  he 
is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the 
heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter ;  whose  praise  is  not  of 
men,  but  of  God." 

In  the  following  discourse  I  shall  show  very  briefly,  ist,  That 
external  observances  are  of  no  avail  to  justify  the  sinner;  and,-2^, 
That  external  observances  can  never  stand  in  the  stead  of  sanc- 
tification  to  the  believer. 

18 


274  SERMON    XLVII. 

I.  External  observances  are  of  no  avail  to  justify  the  sinner. 

In  a  former  discourse  I  attempted  to  show  several  of  the  refuges 
of  lies  to  which  the  awakened  soul  will  run,  before  he  can  be 
persuaded  to  betake  himself  to  the  righteousness  of  God  ;  and  in 
every  one  of  them  we  saw  that  he  that  compassed  himself  about 
with  sparks  of  his  own  kindling,  received  only  this  of  God's  hand, 
to  lie  down  in  sorrow.  First  of  all,  the  soul  generally  contents 
himself  with  slight  views  of  the  divine  law,  and  says :  "All  these 
have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up  ;"'  but  when  the  spirituality  of  the 
law  is  revealed,  then  he  tries  to  escape  by  undermining  the  whole 
fabric  of  the  law ;  but,  when  that  will  not  do,  he  flies  to  his  past 
virtues  to  balance  accounts  with  his  sins  ;  and  then,  when  that 
will  not  do,  he  begins  a  work  of  self-reformation,  in  order  to  buy 
off  the  follies  of  youth  by  the  sobrieties  of  age.  Alas  !  how  vain 
are  all  such  contrivances,  invented  by  a  blinded  heart,  urged  on 
by  the  malignant  enemy  of  souls. 

But  there  is  another  refuge  of  lies  which  I  have  not  yet  de- 
scribed, and  to  which  the  awakened  mind  often  betakes  itself  with 
avidity,  to  find  peace  from  the  whips  of  conscience  and  the  scor- 
pions of  God's  law  ;  and  that  is,  a  form  of  godliness.  He  will 
become  a  religious  man,  and  surely  that  will  save  him.  His 
whole  course  of  life  is  now  changed.  Before,  it  may  be,  he  ne- 
glected the  outward  ordinances  of  religion.  He  used  not  to  kneel 
by  his  bedside ;  he  never  used  to  gather  his  children  and  servants 
around  him  to  pray  ;  he  never  used  to  read  the  Word  in  secret, 
or  in  the  family  ;  he  seldom  went  to  the  house  of  God  in  company 
with  the  multitude  that  kept  holy  day  ;  he  did  not  eat  of  that  bread 
which,  to  the  believer,  is  meat  indeed,  nor  drink  of  that  cup  which 
is  drink  indeed. 

But  now  his  whole  usages  are  reversed,  his  whole  course  is 
changed.  He  kneels  to  pray  even  when  alone ;  he  reads  the 
Word  with  periodical  regularity  ;  he  even  raises  an  altar  for  mor- 
ning and  evening  sacrifice  in  his  family ;  his  sobered  countenance 
is  never  awanting  in  his  wonted  position  in  the  house  of  prayer. 
He  looks  back,  now,  to  his  baptism  with  a  soothing  complacency, 
and  sits  down  to  eat  the  children's  bread  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
His  friends  and  neighbors  all  observe  the  change.  Some  make  a 
jest  of  it,  and  some  make  it  a  subject  of  rejoicing;  but  one  thing 
is  obvious,  that  he  is  an  altered  man ;  and  yet  it  is  i'ar  from  ob- 
vious that  he  is  a  new  man,  or  a  justified  man.  All  this  routine 
of  bodily  exercise,  if  it  be  entered  on  before  the  man  has  put  on 
the  divine  righteousness,  is  just  another  way  of  going  about  to 
establish  his  own  righteousness,  that  he  may  not  be  constrained 
to  submit  to  put  on  the  righteousness  of  God.  Nay,  so  utterly 
perverted  is  the  understanding  of  the  unconverted,  that  many  men 
are  found  to  persevere  in  such  a  course  of  bodily  worship  of  God, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  they  persevere  as  diligently  in  some 
course  of  open  or  secret  iniquity.     Such  men  seem  to  regard 


SERMON    XLVII.  275 

external  observance  not  only  as  an  atonement  for  sins  that  are 
past,  but  as  a  price  paid  to  purchase  a  license  to  sin  in  time  to 
come.  Such  appears  to  have  been  the  refuge  of  lies  which  the 
poor  woman  of  Samaria  would  fain  have  sat  down  in,  when  the 
blessed  Traveller,  sitting  by  the  well,  awakened  all  the  anxieties 
of  her  heart,  by  the  searching  words:  "Go  call  thy  husband,  and 
come  hither."  Her  anxious  mind  sought  hither  and  thither  for  a 
refuge,  and  found  it.  Where?  In  her  religions  observances: 
"  Our  fathers  worshipped  in  this  mountain,  and  ye  say  that  in  Jeru- 
salem is  the  place  where  men  ought  to  worship  ?"  She  tiirusts 
away  the  pointed  conviction  of  sin  by  a  question  as  to  her  outward 
observances ;  she  changes  her  anxiety  about  the  soul  into  anxiety 
about  the  place  where  men  ought  to  worship ;  whether  it  should 
be  Mount  Zion  .or  Mount  Gerizim.  Oh  !  if  he  would  only  settle 
that  question  ;'if  he  would  only  tell  her  on  which  of  these  moun- 
tains God  ought  to  be  worshipped,  she  was  ready  to  worship  all 
her  lifetime  in  that  favored  place.  If  Zion  be  the  place,  she  would 
leave  her  native  mountain  and  go  and  worship  there,  that  that 
might  save  her.  Oh !  how  fain  she  would  have  found  here  a  re- 
fuge for  her  anxious  soul.  With  what  divine  kindness,  then,  did 
the  Saviour  sweep  away  this  refuge  of  lies,  by  the  answer; 
*'  Woman,  believe  me,  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  ye  shall 
neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  in  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father. 
God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him,  must  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth." 

Now  it  is  with  the  very  same  object,  and  with  the  very  same 
kindness,  that  Paul  here  sweeps  away  the  same  refuge  of  lies 
from  every  anxious  soul,  in  these  decisive  words :  "  He  is  not  a 
Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly ;  neither  is  that  circumcision,  which 
is  outward  in  the  flesh  :  but  he  is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly; 
and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  Spirit,  and  not  in  the 
letter ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God." 

Is  there  any  of  you  whom  God  hath  awakened  out  of  the  deadly 
slumber  of  the  natural  mind  ? — has  he  drawn  aside  the  curtains, 
and  made  the  light  of  truth  to  fall  upon  your  heart,  revealing  the 
true  condition  of  your  soul  1 — has  he  made  you  start  to  your  feet 
alarmed,  that  you  might  go  and  weep  as  you  go  to  seek  the  Lord 
your  God  1 — has  he  made  you  exchange  the  careless  smile  of 
gaiety  for  the  tears  of  anxiety — the  loud  laugh  of  folly,  for  the 
cry  of  bitter  distress  about  your  soul  ? — are  you  asking  the  way 
to  Zion  with  your  flice  directed  thitherward  ? — then  take  heed,  I 
beseech  you,  of  sitting  down  contented  in  this  refuge  of  lies. 
Remember  he  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly  ;  remember 
no  outward  observances,  no  prayers,  or  church-going,  or  Bible- 
reading,  can  ever  justify  you  in  the  sight  of  God. 

I  am  quite  aware  that  when  anxiety  for  the  soul  enters  in,  then 
anxiety  to  attend  ordinances  will  also  enter  in.  Like  as  the 
stricken  deer  goes  apart  from  the  herd  to  bleed  and  weep  alone. 


276  SERMON    XLVII. 

SO  the  sin-stricken  soul  goes  aside  from  his  merry  companions,  to 
•weep,  and  read,  and  pray,  alone.  He  will  desire  the  preached 
Word,  and  press  after  it  more  and  more :  but  remember,  he  finds 
no  peace  in  this  change  that  is  wrought  in  himself.  When  a  man 
goes  thiisty  to  the  well,  his  thirst  is  not  allayed  merely  by  going 
there.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  increased  every  step  he  goes.  It  is 
by  what  he  draws  out  of  the  well  that  his  thirst  is  satisfied.  And 
just  so  it  is  not  by  the  mere  bodily  exercise  of  waiting  on  ordi- 
nances that  you  will  ever  come  to  peace ;  but  by  tasting  of  Jesus 
in  the  ordinances — whose  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  drink 
indeed. 

If  ever,  then,  you  are  tempted  to  think  that  you  are  surely  safe 
for  eternity,  because  you  have  been  brought  to  change  your  treat- 
ment of  the  outward  ordinances  of  religion,  remember,  I  beseech 
you,  the  parable  of  the  marriage  feast,  where  many  were  called  ; 
many  were  invited  to  come  in,  but  few,  few  were  found  having  on 
the  wedding  garment.  Many  are  brought  within  the  pale  of  ordi- 
nances, and  read  and  hear,  it  may  be,  with  considerable  interest 
and  anxiety  about  all  the  things  that  are  ready — the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;  but  of  these  nqany,  few  are  persuaded  to  abhor 
their  own  filthy  rags,  and  to  put  on  the  wedding  garment  of  the 
Redeemer's  righteousness.  And  these  few  alone  shall  sit  still  to 
partake  of  the  feast — the  joy  of  their  Lord  ;  the  rest  shall  stand 
speechless,  and  be  cast  out  into  outer  darkness,  where  shall  be 
weeping,  and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  You  may  read 
your  Bible,  and  pray  over  it  till  you  die  ;  you  may  wait  on  the 
preached  Word  every  Sabbath-day,  and  sit  down  at  every  sacra- 
ment till  you  die  ;  yet,  if  you  do  not  find  Christ  in  the  ordinances  ; 
if  he  do  not  reveal  himself  to  your  soul  in  the  preached  Word,  in 
the  broken  bread  and  poured-out  wine  ;  if  you  are  not  brought  to 
cleave  to  him,  to  look  to  him,  to  believe  in  him,  to  cry  out  with 
inward  adoration  :  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God" — "  how  great  is  his 
goodness  !  how  great  is  his  beauty  1" — then  the  outward  obser- 
vance of  the  ordinances  is  all  in  vain  to  you.  You  have  come  to 
the  well  of  salvation,  but  have  gone  away  with  the  pitcher  empty ; 
and  however  proud  and  boastful  you  may  now  be  of  your  bodily 
exercise,  you  will  find  in  that  day  that  it  profits  little,  and  that  you 
will  stand  speechless  before  the  King. 

II.  External  observances  can  never  stand  in  the  stead  of  sancti- 
jication  to  the  believer. 

If  it  be  a  common  thing  for  awakened  minds  to  seek  for  peace 
in  their  external  observances,  to  make  a  Christ  of  them,  and  rest 
in  them  as  their  means  of  acceptance  with  God,  it  is  also  a 
common  thing  for  those  who  have  been  brought  into  Christ, 
and  enjoy  the  peace  of  believing,  to  place  mere  external  observ- 
ances in  the  stead  of  growth  in  holiness.  Every  beUever  among 
you  knows  how  fain  the  old  heart  within  you  would  substitute 
the  hearing  of  sermons,  and  the  repeating  of  prayers,  in  place  of 


SERMON    XLVII.  277 

that  faith  which  worketh  by  love,  and  which  overcometh  the 
world.  Now,  the  great  reason  why  the  believer  is  often  tempted 
to  do  this  is,  that  he  loves  the  ordinances.  Unconverted  souls 
seldom  take  delight  in  the  ordinances  of  Christ.  They  see  no 
beauty  in  Jesus,  they  see  no  form  nor  comeliness  in  him,  they 
hide  their  faces  from  him.  Why  should  j'ou  wonder,  then,  that 
they  take  no  delight  in  praying  to  him  continually,  in  praising  him 
daily,  in  calling  him  blessed  ?  Why  should  you  wonder  that  the 
preaching  of  the  cross  is  foolishness  to  them,  that  his  tabernacles 
are  not  amiable  in  their  eyes,  that  they  forsake  the  assembling  of 
themselves  together?  They  never  knew  the  Saviour,  they  never 
loved  him ;  how,  then,  should  they  love  the  memorials  which  he 
has  left  behind  him  ? 

When  you  are  weeping  by  the  chiselled  monument  of  a  de- 
parted friend,  you  do  not  wonder  that  the  careless  crowd  pass 
by  without  a  tear.  They  did  not  know  the  virtues  of  your 
departed  friend,  they  do  not  know  the  fragrance  of  his  memory. 
Just  so  the  world  care  not  for  the  house  of  prayer,  the  sprinkled 
water,  the  broken  bread,  the  poured-out  wine  ;  for  they  never 
knew  the  excellency  of  Jesus.  But  with  believers  it  is  far  other- 
wise. You  have  been  divinely  taught  your  need  of  Jesus ;  and 
therefore  you  delight  to  hear  Christ  preached.  You  have  seen 
the  beauty  of  Christ  crucified ;  and  therefore  you  love  the 
place  where  he  is  evidently  set  forth.  You  love  the  very  name 
of  Jesus,  it  is  as  ointment  poured  forth ;  therefore  you  could 
join  for  ever  in  the  melody  of  his  praises.  The  Sabbath-day,  of 
which  you  once  said,  "  What  a  weariness  is  it  !"  and,  "  When 
will  it  be  over,  that  we  may  set  forth  corn  ?"  is  now  a  "  delight," 
and  "  honorable,"  the  sweetest  day  of  all  the  seven.  The  ordi- 
nances, which  were  once  a  dull  and  sickening  routine,  are  now 
green  pastures  and  waters  of  stillness  to  your  soul ;  and  surely 
this  is  a  blessed  change.  But  still  you  are  in  the  body,  heaven 
is  not  yet  gained,  Satan  is  hovering  near ;  and  since  he  cannot 
destroy  the  work  of  God  in  your  soul,  therefore  he  tries  all  the 
more  to  spoil  it.  He  cannot  stem  the  current ;  therefore  he  tries 
to  turn  it  aside.  He  cannot  drive  back  God's  arrow  ;  and  there- 
fore he  tries  to  make  it  turn  awry,  and  spend  its  strength  in  vain. 
When  he  finds  that  you  love  the  ordinances,  and  it  is  in  vain  to 
tempt  you  to  forsake  them,  he  lets  you  love  them  ;  aye,  he  helps 
you  to  love  them  more  and  more.  He  becomes  an  angel  of  light, 
he  helps  in  the  decoration  of  the  house  of  God,  he  throws  around 
its  services  a  fascinating  beauty,  hurries  you  on  from  one  house 
of  God  to  another,  from  prayer-meetings  to  sermon-hearing,  from 
sermons  to  sacraments.  And  why  does  he  do  all  this  ?  He  does 
all  this  just  that  he  may  make  this  the  whole  of  your  sancli- 
fication,  that  outward  ordinances  may  be  the  all  in  all  of  your 
religion,  that  in  youi'  anxiety  to  preserve  the  shell,  you  may  let 
fall  the  kernel. 


278  SERMON    XLVir. 

If  there  be  one  of  you,  then,  in  whose  heart  God  hath  wrought 
the  amazing  change  of  turning  you  from  loathing  to  loving  his 
ordinances,  let  me  beseech  you  to  be  jealous  over  your  heart  with 
godly  jealousy.  Pause  this  hour,  and  see  if,  in  your  haste  and 
anxious  pursuit  of  the  ordinances,  you  have  not  left  the  pursuit  of 
that  holiness  without  which  the  ordinances  are  sounding  brass  and 
a  tinkling  cymbal.  I  have  a  message  from  God  unto  thee.  It  is 
written,  "  He  is  not  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly;  neither  is 
that  circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh :  but  he  is  a  Jew, 
which  is  one  inwardly  ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in 
the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  man,  but 
of  God."  He  is  not  a  Christian  which  is  one  outwardly,  neither 
is  that  baptism  which  is  merely  the  outward  washing  of  the  body ; 
but  he  is  a  Christian  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  true  baptism 
is  that  of  the  heart,  when  the  heart  is  washed  from  all  filthiness 
of  the  flesh  and  of  the  spirit ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of 
God. 

Remember,  I  beseech  you,  that  the  ordinances  are  means  to  an 
end;  they  are  stepping  stones,  by  which  you  may  arrive  at  a 
landing-place.  Is  your  soul  sitting  down  in  the  ordinances,  and 
saying.  It  is  enough?  Are  you  so  satisfied  that  you  can  enjoy  the 
ordinances  of  Christ,  that  you  desire  no  higher  attainments  1  Re- 
member the  word  that  is  written :  "  This  is  not  your  rest." 
Would  you  not  say  he  was  a  foolish  traveller,  who  should  take 
every  inn  became  to  for  his  home — who  should  take  up  his  settled 
rest,  and  instead  of  preparing  himself  for  hard  journeying  on  the 
morrow,  should  begin  to  take  the  ease  and  enjoyment  of  the  house 
as  his  all  ?  Take  heed  that  you  be  not  this  foolish  traveller.  The 
ordinances  are  intended  by  God  to  be  but  the  inns  and  refectories 
where  the  traveller  Zion-ward,  weary  in  well-doing,  and  faint  in 
faith,  may  betake  him  to  tarry  for  a  night,  that,  being  refreshed 
with  bread  and  wine,  he  may,  with  new  alacrity,  press  forward 
on  his  journey  home  as  upon  eagles'  wings. 

Take,  then,  this  one  rule  of  life  along  with  you,  founded  on  these 
blessed  words :  "  He  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly" — that 
if  your  outward  religion  is  helping  on  your  inward  religion,  if 
your  hearing  of  Christ  on  the  Sabbath-day  makes  you  grow  more 
like  Christ  through  all  the  week,  if  the  words  of  grace  and  joy 
which  you  drink  in  at  the  house  of  God  lead  your  heart  to  love 
more,  and  your  hand  to  do  more,  then,  and  then  only,  are  you 
using  the  ordinances  of  God  aright. 

There  is  not  a  more  miserably  deceived  soul  in  the  world  than 
that  soul  among  you  who,  like  Herod,  hears  the  preached  Gospel 
gladly,  and  yet,  like  Herod,  lives  in  sin.  You  love  the  Sabbath- 
day,  you  love  the  house  of  God,  you  love  to  hear  Christ  preached 
in  all  his  freeness  and  in  all  his  fulness  ;  yes,  you  think  you  could 
listen  for  ever  if  only  Christ  be  the  theme ;  you  love  to  sit  down 
at  sacraments,   and  to  commemorate   the   death  of  your  Lord. 


SERMON    XLVIII.  279 

And  is  this  all ;  is  this  all  your  holiness  ?  Does  your  religion  end 
here  ?  Is  this  all  that  believing  in  Jesus  has  done  for  you  ?  Re- 
member, I  beseech  you,  that  the  ordinances  of  Christ  are  not  means 
of  enjoyment,  but  means  of  grace ;  and  though  it  is  said  that  the 
travellers  in  the  Valley  of  Baca  dig  up  wells,  which  are  filled  with 
the  rain  from  on  high,  yet  it  is  also  said  :  "  They  go  from  strength 
to  strength."  Awake,  then,  my  friends,  and  let  it  no  more  be  said 
of  us,  that  our  religion  is  confined  to  the  house  of  God  and  to  the 
Sabbath-day.  Let  us  draw  water  with  joy  from  these  wells,  just 
in  order  that  we  may  ti'avel  the  wilderness  with  joy  and  strength, 
and  love  and  hope — blessed  in  ourselves,  and  a  blessing  to  all 
about  us.  And  if  we  speak  thus  to  those  of  you  whose  religion 
seems  to  go  no  further  than  the  ordinances,  what  shall  we  say  to 
those  of  you  wlio  contradict  the  very  use  and  end  of  the  ordi- 
nances in  your  lives  ?  Is  it  possible  you  can  delight  in  worldliness, 
and  vanity,  and  covetousness,  and  pride,  and  luxury  ?  Is  it  pos- 
sible that  the  very  lips  which  are  so  ready  to  sing  praises,  or  to 
join  in  prayers,  are  also  r^ady  to  speak  the  words  of  guile,  of 
malice,  of  envy,  of  bitterness?  Awake,  we  beseech  you;  we  are 
not  ignorant  of  Satan's  devices.  To  you  he  hath  made  himself  an 
angel  of  light.  Remember,  it  is  written:  "  If  any  among  you 
seemeth  to  be  religious,  and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  but  deceiveth 
his  own  heart,  this  man's  religion  is  vain.  Pure  religion,  and  un- 
defiled  before  God  and  the  Father,  is  this.  To  visit  the  fatherless 
and  widows  in  their  aflliction,  and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from 
the  world."  "  For  he  is  not  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly ; 
neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh :  but  he 
is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the 
heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter;  whose  praise  is  not  of 
men,  but  of  God  !"     Amen. 

Preached  bejore  the  Presbytery  of  Dundee,  JSTov.  2,  1836. 


SERMON  XLVIII. 

Christ's  compassion  .on  the  multitudes. 

"  And  Jesus  went  about  all  the  cities  and  villages,  teaching  in  their  synagogues, 
and  preaching  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  and  healing  every  sickness  and  every 
disease  among  the  people  But  when  he  saw  the  multitudes,  he  was  moved  with 
conipassion  on  them,  because  they  fainted  and  were  scattered  abroad,  as  sheep 
having  no  shepherd.  Then  saith  he  unto  his  disciples,  The  harvest  truly  is  plen- 
teous, but  the  laborers  are  few  ;  pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that 
he  will  send  forth  laborers  into  his  harvest " — Matt,  ix.,  35-38. 

I.  "  When  Jesus  saw,  he  was  moved  with  compassion." — From 
Matt,  iv.,  23,  we  learn  that  when  Jesus  first  entered  on  the  minis- 


280  SERMON    XLVIII. 

try,  Galilee  was  the  scene  of  his  labors  :  "  He  went  about  all 
Galilee,  teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  Gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of  sickness  and  all  manner 
of  disease  among  the  people."  And  we  learn  also  (verse  25),  that 
great  multitudes  followed  him.  Chapters  v.,  vi.,  and  vii.,  contain 
a  specimen  of  what  he  taught  and  preached  ;  chapters  viii.  and  ix., 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  healed  :  and  now,  at  verse  35,  we  are 
told  that  he  had  gone  over  all  the  cities  and  villages  of  Galilee — 
he  had  finished  his  survey  ;  and  "when  he  saw  the  multitudes,  he 
was  moved  with  compassion."  Galilee  was  at  that  time  a  thickly 
peopled  country  ;  its  towns  and  villages  swarmed  with  inhabit- 
ants; 30  that  it  got  the  name  of  "Galilee  of  the  nations,"  or  popu- 
lous Galilee.  What  I  wish  you  to  observe,  then,  is,  that  it  was  an 
actual  survey  of  the  crowded  cities,  of  the  over-peopled  villages, 
of  the  crovi^ds  that  followed  him ;  it  was  an  actual  sight  and  sur- 
vey of  these  things,  that  moved  the  Saviour's  compassion.  His 
eye  affected  his  heart :  *'  When  he  saw,  he  was  moved  with 
compassion." 

1.  This  shows  that  Christ  was  truly  man. — The  whole  Bible 
shows  that  Christ  was  truly  God,  "  that  he  was  with  God  and  was 
God,"  that  he  was  "  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever."  But  this 
event  shows  that  he  was  as  truly  man.  It  is  the  part  of  a  man  to 
be  overcome  by  what  he  sees.  When  you  sit  by  the  fire  of  a 
winter  evening,  when  you  hear  the  pelting  of  the  pitiless  storm, 
the  rain  and  the  sleet  driving  against  the  window,  when  you  think 
of  some  houseless,  homeless  wanderer  ;  yom*  heart  is  a  little 
moved,  you  heave  a  passing  sigh,  and  utter  a  passing  expression 
of  sympathy.  But  if  the  wanderer  comes  to  your  door — if  you 
open  the  door,  and  see  him,  all  wet  and  shivering,  the  sight  affects 
the  heart — your  heart  flows  out  in  a  thousandfold  greater  compas- 
sion, and  you  invite  him  in  to  sit  before  the  fire. 

When  the  full  bloom  of  health  is  upon  your  cheek,  if  you  hear 
of  some  sick  person,  you  are  a  little  affected  ;  but  if  you  go  and 
see,  if  you  lift  up  the  latchet  of  the  door,  and  enter  in  with  quiet 
step,  and  see  the  pale  face,  the  languid  eye,  the  heaving  breast ; 
then  does  the  eye  affect  the  heart,  and  your  compassion  flows  like 
a  mighty  river.  This  is  humanity,  this  is  the  way  with  man,  this 
was  the  way  with  Christ :  "  When  he  saw,  he  was  moved  with 
compassion."  Once  they  brought  him  to  the  grave  of  a  dearly 
loved  friend.  They  said  :  "  Come  and  see ;"  and  it  is  written  : 
"  Jesus  wept."  Another  time  he  was  riding  on  an  ass's  colt  across 
Mount  Olivet — the  hill  that  overhangs  Jerusalem  ;  and  when  he 
came  to  the  turn  of  the  road,  where  the  city  burst  upon  the  view, 
"  when  he  came  near,  and  beheld  the  city  ;  he  wept  over  it." 
And  just  so  here.  He  had  gone  round  the  cities  and  villages  of 
Galilee  ;  he  had  looked  upon  the  poor  scattered  multitudes,  hast- 
ening on  to  an  undone  eternity :  "  And  when  he  saw  the  multitudes, 
he  was  moved  with  compassion." 


SERMON    XLVIII.  281 

Let  me  speak  to  believers.  Jesus  is  your  elder  brother.  He 
says  to  you  as  Joseph  said  to  his  brethren :  "  I  am  Joseph,  your 
brother.''  In  all  your  afflictions,  he  is  afflicted.  For  he  is  not  an 
high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  your  infir- 
mities ;  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin. 
Some  of  you  have  little  children  pained,  and  tossing  in  fever.  Jesus 
pities  them  ;  for  he  was  once  a  little  child.  Little  children,  if  you 
would  take  Jesus  for  a  Saviour,  then  you  might  cany  all  your  griefs 
to  him  ;  for  Jesus  knows  what  it  is  to  be  a  little  child.  Grown  be- 
lievers, you  know  the  pains  of  weariness,  and  hunger,  and  thirst, 
and  nakedness.  Tell  these  things  to  Jesus  ;  for  he  knew  them 
too.  You  know  the  pains  of  inward  heaviness,  of  a  drooping 
heart,  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death — of  the  hidden  face 
of  God;  Jesus  knew  them  too.  Go  to  Jesus,  then,  and  he  will 
heal  them  all. 

2.  This  shows  that  Christians  should  go  and  see. — Many  Chris- 
tians are  content  to  be  Christians  for  themselves  ;  to  hug  the 
Gospel  to  themselves;  to  sit  in  their  own  room,  and  feast  upon  it 
alone.  This  did  not  Christ.  It  is  true  he  loved  much  to  be  alone. 
He  once  said  to  his  disciples  :  "  Come  into  a  desert  place,  and  rest 
awhile."  He  often  spent  the  whole  night  in  prayer  on  the  lone 
mountain  side  ;  but  it  is  as  true  that  he  went  about  continually. 
He  went  and  saw,  and  then  he  had  compassion.  He  did  not  hide 
hi.hself  from  his  own  flesh.  You  should  be  Christ-like.  Your 
word  should  be  :  "  Go  and  see."  You  should  go  and  see  the  poor ; 
and  then  you  will  feel  for  them.  Remember  what  Jesus  says  to 
all  his  people :  "  I  was  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me." 
Be  not  deceived,  my  dear  friends  ;  it  is  easy  to  give  a  cold  pittance 
of  charity  at  the  church  door,  and  to  think  that  that  is  the  religion 
of  Jesus.  But,  "Pure  religion  and  undctiled,  before  God  and  the 
Father,  is  this,  To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction, 
and  to  keep  yourself  unspotted  from  the  world." 

IL   What  it  was  that  Jesus  saw. 

1.  He  saw  the  multitudes. — He  had  gone  through  the  crowded 
cities  and  villages  of  populous  Galilee  ;  and  O  how  many  liices  he 
had  looked  upon  !  This  made  him  sad.  There  is  something  very 
saddening  to  a  Christian  to  look  upon  a  multitude.  To  stand  in 
the  crowded  streets  of  a  large  metropolis,  and  to  see  the  current 
of  human  beings  flowing  onward  to  eternity,  brings  an  awful  sad- 
ness over  the  spirit.  Even  to  stand  in  the  house  of  God,  and  look 
upon  the  dense  mass  of  assembled  worshippers,  fills  the  bosom  of 
every  true  Christian  with  a  pitiful  sadness. 

Why  is  this  ?  Because  the  most  are  perishing  souls.  Ah  !  it 
was  this  that  filled  the  bosom  of  the  Redeemer  with  compassion. 
Of  all  the  bustling  crowds  that  hurry  through  the  streets  of  your 
town — of  all  the  teeming  multitudes  that  issue  forth  from  your 
crowded  factories — ah  I  how  few  will  stand  on  the  right  hand  of 


282  SERMON    XLVIII. 

Jesus.  Nay,  to  come  nearer  still,  of  the  hundreds  now  before  us 
in  this  house  of  God — souls  committed  to  my  care  and  keeping — 
willing  and  anxious  as  you  are  to  hear,  yet  how  few  believe  our 
report,  how  few  will  be  to  me  a  crown  of  joy  and  rejoicing  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ! 

Just  think  how  dreadful,  my  friends,  if  there  be  one  soul  here 
that  is  to  perish — one  body  and  soul  with  us,  in  health  and  strength 
to-day,  that  is  to  be  with  devils  in  a  short  while,  feeling  the  worm, 
and  the  flames,  and  the  gnashing  of  teeth.  If  there  were  but  one 
in  the  whole  town,  I  do  think  it  would  be  enough  to  sadden  the 
soul.  But,  ah  !  does  not  the  Bible  say  :  "  Many  are  called,  but 
few  arc  chosen  1"  Ah  !  then,  you  will  know  why  Jesus  was 
moved  with  compassion  ;  and  surely  you  will  never  look  upon  a 
crowd,  but  the  same  feeling  will  rise  in  your  breast. 

2.  He  saw  the  multitudes  fainting. — Perhaps  for  hunger — poor, 
weak,  frail  men  !  There  is  something  most  moving  in  the  sight 
of  weak  men,  when  they  are  in  an  unconverted  condition.  What 
would  a  spider  be,  if  it  were  thrown  into  one  of  your  great  blast- 
furnaces ?  It  would  be  as  it  were  nothing  ;  so  weak,  so  miserable, 
so  unable  to  resist  the  scorching  flame.  Just  such  was  the  sight 
Jesus  saw,  poor,  frail  men,  tainting  for  lack  of  food,  and  yet 
perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge  ;  and  he  thought,  Alas  !  if  they 
be  unable  to  bear  a  little  bodily  want,  how  will  they  bear  my 
Father's  anger,  when  1  shall  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  tram- 
ple them  in  my  fury  ?  Oh  !  no  wonder  Jesus  was  sad.  Think  of 
this,  you  who  are  very  feeble  and  frail,  unable  to  bear  hunger  or 
a  little  sickness.  Think  what  a  poor  thing  you  are  in  a  fever, 
when  you  need  some  one  to  turn  you  in  your  bed  ;  how  will  you 
bear  to  die  Christless,  and  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God  ? 
if  you  cannot  contend  with  God  now,  how  do  you  think  you  will 
contend  with  him  after  you  die  ? 

3.  He  saw  them  scattered  abroad. — When  the  sheep  have  been 
driven  away  from  the  fold,  they  do  not  all  go  in  a  flock  ;  but  they 
are  scattered  over  the  mountains  ;  they  run  every  one  to  his  own 
way.  This  is  what  Jesus  saw  in  the  multitudes  ;  they  were  all 
scattered,  turning  every  one  to  his  own  way.  In  the  cities  and 
villages  he  saw  men  going  every  one  after  diflerent  things.  One 
set  of  men  were  going  after  money,  making  it  their  chief  good, 
toiling  night  and  day  over  their  work  ;  yet  not  enjoying  the  money 
they  made.  Another  set  went  after  pleasure — the  dance,  the  song, 
the  pipe,  and  the  tabor.  Another  set  went  after  the  joys  of  the 
deep  carousal — their  bellies  were  their  god,  and  they  gloried  in 
their  shame.  Like  the  leech,  they  said  :  "  Give,  give."  Another 
set  went  after  still  darker  and  more  abominable  things,  of  which 
it  is  a  shame  even  so  much  as  to  speak.  Jesus  saw  all — the  hearts 
of  all — and  had  compassion  ;  because  they  were  all  thus  scattered, 
none  seeking  after  God.  Observe,  Jesus  was  not  angry ;  Jesus 
did  not  threaten  ;  Jesus  was  moved  with  compassion. 


SERMON   XLVIII.  283 

Let  me  speak  to  the  unconverted.  You  are  thus  scattered, 
every  one  to  his  ow^n  way.  Each  of  you  have  got  your  favorite 
walk  in  hfe,  your  favorite  footpath.  You  all  go  different  ways ; 
and  yet  all  away  from  God.  I  do  not  know  what  it  is  that  your 
heart  loves  most ;  but  this  I  know,  that  you  love  to  go  away  from 
Christ  and  from  God.  Christ's  eye  is  upon  you  all,  your  histories, 
your  hearts.  He  knows  every  step  you  have  taken,  every  sin  you 
have  committed,  every  lust  that  reigns  in  your  heart.  His  eye  is 
now  on  this  assembly.  I  will  ask  you  a  question.  What  does  Jesus 
feel  when  he  looks  upon  you?  Some  will  say,  Anger, some  will 
say,  Revenge.  What  does  the  Bible  say  ?  Compassion.  Christ 
pities  you,  he  does  not  wish  you  to  perish.  Oh  !  the  tender  pity 
of  Jesus.  He  would  often  have  gathered  you,  as  a  hen  gathers 
its  chickens  ;  but  you  would  not. 

4.  As  sheep  having  no  sJiepherd. — This  was  the  saddest  thing 
of  all.  If  the  sheep  be  driven  away  from  the  fold,  fainting  and 
scattered  upon  the  mountains,  and  if  there  be  a  number  of  shep- 
herds to  seek  the  lost,  and  bring  them  back  to  the  fold,  the  sight 
is  by  no  means  so  painful  ;  but  when  they  are  sheep  that  have 
no  shepherd,  then  the  case  is  desperate.  So  it  was  with  the 
people  of  Galilee  in  Christ's  day.  If  they  had  had  pastors  after 
God's  own  heart,  then  their  case  would  not  have  been  so  bad ; 
but  they  were  like  sheep  that  had  no  shepherd.  This  made  Jesus 
sad. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  Just 
as  he  went  through  the  towns  and  villages  of  Galilee,  beholding 
the  multitudes,  so  does  he  now  go  through  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages of  our  beloved  land  ;  and,  oh  !  if  his  heart  was  moved' 
with  compassion  over  the  thousands  of  Galilee,  surely  it  must  be 
breaking  with  intensest  pity  over  the  tens  of  thousands  of 
Scotland.  There  may  be  some  of  you  who  can  look  coldly  and 
carelessly  on  the  fifty  thousand  of  Edinburgh  that  never  cross 
the  threshold  of  the  house  of  God.  There  may  be  some  of  you 
who  can  hear  unmoved  of  the  eighty  thousand  of  Glasgow  who 
know  neither  the  melody  of  psalms  nor  the  voice  of  prayer. 
There  may  be  some  of  you  who  can  look  upon  the  haggard  and 
vice-stricken  countenances  of  the  mill-population  of  your  own 
town,  thousands  of  whom  show,  by  their  dress,  and  air,  and  open 
profligacy,  that  they  are  utter  strangers  to  the  message  of  a 
preached  Saviour.  Some  of  you  may  look  on  them,  and  never 
shed  one  tear  of  pity,  never  feel  one  prayer  rising  to  your 
lips ;  but  there  is  One  above  these  heavens,  whose  heart  beats 
in  his  bosom  at  the  sight  of  them  ;  and  if  there  could  be  tears  in 
heaven,  that  tender  Saviour  would  weep ;  for  he  sees  the  multi- 
tudes fainting  and  scattered,  and,  oh  !  worst  of  all,  as  sheep  that 
have  no  shepherd. 

Some  of  you  have  no  compassion  on  the  multitudes.  Some 
of  you  think  we   have   enough   of  ministers.     See    here,  how 


284  SERMON    XLVIII. 

unlike  you  are  to  Christ.  You  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in 
you,  you  are  none  of  his.  Some  of  you  know  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  tremble  at  his  Word.  Learn  this  day  to  be  like-minded  to 
Jesus :  "  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus."  Christ  had  compassion  on  the  multitudes  ;  and,  oh  1  will 
you  have  none  ?  Christ  gave  himself  for  them  ;  what  will  you 
give  ?  Surely  the  stones  of  this  house  will  rise  against  you  in 
judgment,  and  condemn  you,  if  you  be  not  like  Christ  in  this : 
"  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give." 

III.   The  remedy. 

1.  More  laborers.  "  The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the 
laborers  are  few."  Christ  looked  upon  the  towns  of  Galilee  as 
upon  a  mighty  harvest,  field  after  field  ready  for  the  sickle.  He 
and  his  apostles  seemed  like  a  small  band  of  reapers.  But  what 
are  they  to  such  a  harvest?  The  ripe  corn  will  be  shaken,  and 
shed  its  fruit  upon  the  ground,  before  it  can  be  cut  down  and 
gathered  in.  The  word  of  Christ,  then,  is,  "  Pray  ye,  therefore, 
the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  will  send  forth  laborers  into 
his  harvest." 

There  is  a  striking  resemblance  between  this  day  and  Christ's 
day.  (I.)  Our  cities  and  villages  are  crowded  like  those  of 
Galilee,  and  the  little  band  of  faithful  ministers  are  indeed  nothing 
to  such  a  harvest.  (2.)  The  people  are  willing  to  hear.  Wherever 
men  of  God  have  been  sent,  they  have  gathered  around  them 
multitudes,  eager  to  hear  the  words  of  eternal  life.  The  harvest 
is  ripe,  ready  to  be  gathered  in.  Oh  !  then,  do  not  say  it  is  a 
scheme  of  man's  devising,  do  not  say  we  are  seeking  to  enrich 
ministers,  do  not  say  we  are  seeking  our  own  things.  We  are 
doing  what  Christ  bids  us  do :  "  Pray  ye  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest." 

2.  Laborers  sent  of  God.  (L)  This  shows  we  should  seek 
ordained  ministers,  men  sent  out  or  thrust  out  by  God.  Some 
well-meaning  people  are  satisfied  if  we  can  get  private  Christians, 
or  unordained  men,  to  do  the  work  of  the  ministry.  This  is  a  deep 
snare  into  which  Satan  leads  good  men.  Does  not  the  whole 
Bible  bear  witness  that  no  man  taketh  this  honor  to  himself,  but 
he  that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron?  and  even  Christ  glorified 
not  himself  to  be  made  an  high  priest.  Woe  be  to  them  that  run 
unsent !  It  was  a  good  wish  in  Uzzah  to  hold  up  the  ark ;  yet 
Uzzah  died  for  it. 

2.  Converted  ministers.  If  men  may  not  run  without  an  out- 
ward call,  far  less  without  an  inward  call.  There  were  crowds 
of  ministers  in  Christ's  day.  At  every  corner  of  the  street  you 
might  have  met  them.  But  they  were  blind  leaders  of  the  blind. 
So  we  may  have  plenty  of  ministers  raised  amongst  us,  and  yet  be 
as  sheep  that  have  no  shepherd. 

Ah  !  you   that  know  Christ,    and  love  him ;  ye  Jacobs  who 


SERMON    XLIX. 

wrestle  with  God  till  morning  light,  wrestle  ye  with  God  for  this. 
Give  liini  no  rest  until  he  grant  it.  I  have  a  sweet  persuasion  in 
my  own  breast,  that  if  we  go  on  in  faith  and  prayer,  building  up 
God's  altars  that  are  desolate,  God  will  hear  the  cry  of  his  people, 
and  give  them  teachers  according  to  his  own  heart,  and  that  we 
shall  yet  see  days  such  as  have  never  before  shone  upon  the 
Church  of  Scotland — when  our  teachers  shall  not  be  removed  into 
corners  any  more  ;  when  the  great  Shepherd  shall  himself  bless  the 
bread,  and  give  it  to  the  under  shepherds,  and  they  shall  give  to 
the  multitudes,  and  all  shall  eat,  and  be  filled. 

St.  Peter's,  JSTov.  12,  1837. 


SERMON  XLIX. 


CHRIST    LOVED    THE    CHURCH. 


"  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  him- 
self for  it ;  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by 
the  Word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church,  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blemish."— Eph.  v.,  25-27. 

In  this  passage  the  apostle,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  is 
teaching  wives  and  husbands  their  duties  to  one  another.  To  the 
wives,  he  enjoins  submission — a  loving  yielding  to  their  husbands 
in  all  lawful  things  ;  to  the  husbands,  love ;  and  he  puts  before 
them  the  highest  of  all  patterns — Christ  and  his  Church. 

I.  Christ's  love  to  his  Church. 

1.  The  object  of  his  love.  The  Church — all  who  are  chosen, 
awakened,  believing,  justified,  sanctified,  glorified — all  who  are 
finally  saved — all  who  shall  stand  with  the  Lamb,  the  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  thousand  redeemed  ones,  all  looked  on  as  the  brigh'. 
company ;  the  Church — all  who  are  awakened  and  brought  to 
Christ,  all  who  shall  sit  down  at  the  marriage  supper.  I  believe 
Jesus  had  compassion  for  the  whole  world.  He  is  not  willing 
that  any  should  perish.  He  willeth  all  men  to  be  saved.  He 
shed  tears  over  those  who  will  finally  perish.  Still,  the  pecuhar 
object  of  his  love  was  the  Church.  He  loved  the  Church.  On 
them  his  eye  rested  with  peculiar  tenderness  before  the  world 
was.  He  would  often  say:  These  shall  yet  sit  with  me  on  my 
throne ;  or,  as  he  read  over  their  names  in  his  book  of  life,  he 
would  say  :  These  shall  yet  walk  with  me  in  white.  When  they 
lived  in  sin,  his  eye  was  upon  them.  He  would  not  let  them  die, 
and  drop  into  hell :  "  I  have  much  people  in  this  city."  I  have  no 
doubt,  brethren,  Christ  is  marking  some  of  you,  that  are  now 


286  SERMON   XLIX. 

Christless,  for  his  own.  When  they  came  to  Christ,  lie  let  out  his 
love  towards  them  on  the  land  where  they  dwelt;  a  delightsome 
land.  His  eye  rests  on  the  houses  of  this  town,  where  his  jewels 
live.  Christ  loves  some  streets  far  better  than  others — some  spots 
of  earth  are  far  dearer  to  him  than  others. 

Christ  loved  his  Church.  Just  as  a  husband  at  sea  loves  the 
spot  where  his  dear  wife  dwells,  so  does  the  Lord  Jesus :  "  I  have 
graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands." — Isa.  xliii.,  4.  He 
loves  some  in  one  house  I'ar  more  than  others.  There  are  some 
apartments  dear  to  Christ,  where  he  is  often  present,  where  his 
hands  are  often  on  the  door  :  "  Open  to  mc,  my  love." 

2.  The  state  of  the  Church  when  first  loved. — (1.)  They  were 
all  under  the  curse  of  God,  under  condemnation,  exposed  to  the 
just  wrath  of  God,  deserving  nothing  but  wrath;  for  "he  gave 
himself  for  it."  The  Church  had  no  dowry  to  attract  the  love  of 
Jesus,  except  her  wrath  and  curse.  (2.)  Impure.  For  he  had  to 
'sanctify  and  cleanse  it ;"' unholy  within,  opposed  to  God,  no 
beauty  in  the  eye  of  Jesus :  I  am  black,  spotted,  and  wrinkled. 
(3.)  Nothing  to  draw  the  love  of  Christ.  Nothing  that  he  could 
admire  in  them.  'He  admires  whatever  is  like  his  Father.  He 
had  eternally  gazed  upon  h's  Father,  and  was  ravished  with  that 
beauty  ;  but  he  saw  none  of  this,  not  a  feature,  no  beauty  at  all. 
Men  love  where  they  see  something  to  draw  esteem,  Christ  saw 
none.  (4.)  Everything  to  repel  his  love:  "  Polluted  in  thine  own 
blood,"  cast  out,  loathsome  (Ezek.  xvi.)  ;  yet  that  was  the  time 
of  his  love.  Black,  uncomely:  "  Thou  hast  loved  me  out  of  the 
pit  of  corruption."  (5.)  Not  from  ignorance.  Men  often  love, 
where  they  do  not  know  the  true  character,  and  repent  after.  But 
not  so  Christ.  He  knew  the  weight  of  their  sins,  the  depths  of 
their  wicked  heart. 

Nothing  is  more  wonderful  than  the  love  of  Christ.  Learn  the 
freeness  of  the  Icve  of  Christ.  It  is  unbought  love.  "  If  a  man 
would  give  all  the  substance  of  his  house  lor  love,  it  would  be 
vtterly  contemned." — Song  viii.,  7.  He  drew  all  his  reasons  from 
nimself :  '*  I  knew  that  thou  wast  obstinate."  You  have  no  cause 
to  boast.  He  loved  you,  because  he  loved  you,  for  nothing  in 
you.  O  what  a  black  soul  wast  thou,  when  Christ  set  his  love 
upon  thee ! 

3.  The  greatness  of  that  love :  "  He  gave  himself."  This  is  un- 
paralleled love.  Love  is  known  by  the  sacrifice  it  will  make.  In 
a  fit  of  love,  Herod  would  have  given  away  the  half  of  his  king- 
dom. If  you  will  sacrifice  nothing,  you  love  not.  Hereby  we 
know  that  men  love  not  Christ,  they  will  sacrifice  nothing  for  him. 
They  will  not  leave  a  lustj,  a  game,  a  companion,  for  Christ 
'  Greater  love  than  this  hath  no  man."  But  Christ  gave  himself. 
Consider  what  a  self  If  he  had  created  ten  thousand  millions  of 
worlds,  and  given  them  away,  it  had  been  great  love,  had  he  given 
a  million  of  angels  ;  but  he  gave  the  Lord  of  angels,  the  Creator 


SERMON    XLIX.  287 

of  worlds.  "  Lo,  I  come."  He  gave  the  pearl  of  heaven.  O 
what  a  self!  Jesus  !  all-loveliness  ' 

4.  What  he  gavs  himself  to. — Ho  gave  himself  to  be  put  in  their 
place,  to  bear  their  wrath  and  curse,  and  to  obey  for  them.  We 
shall  never  know  the  greatness  of  this  gift.  He  gave  himself  to 
bear  the  guilt  of  the  (Jhurch.  There  cannot  be  a  more  fearful 
burden  than  guilt,  even  if  there  be  no  wrath.  To  the  holy  soul 
of  Jesus,  this  was  an  awful  burden.  He  was  made  sin  :  "  Mine 
iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able  to  look 
up." — Ps.  xl.  "  Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine  head  ;  as  a 
heavy  burden,  they  are  too  heavy  for  me." — Ps.  xxxviii.  He  en- 
dured the  cross,  despising  the  shame.  He  laid  his  soul  under  their 
guilt,  shame  and  spitting ;  silent  like  a  lamb. 

To  hear  their  wrath. — A  happy  soul  shrinks  from  suffering. 
Ask  one  that  has  always  been  in  the  love  of  God,  what  would  he 
give  to  cast  himself  out  of  that  love,  to  bear  as  much  wrath  as  he 
is  bearing  love,  to  receive  the  lightning  instead  of  the  sunshine? 
Not  for  ten  millions  of  worlds.  Yet  this  did  Jesus.  He  became 
a  curse  for  us :  Pour  it  out  on  me.  See  how  he  shrunk  back  from 
it  in  the  garden.     Yet  he  drank  it. 

"  God  commendeth  his  love  to  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet 
enemies,  Christ  died  for  us."  Pray  to  know  the  love  of  Christ. 
It  is  a  great  ocean,  without  bottom  or  shore.*  In  the  broken 
bread  you  will  see  it  set  forth,  so  that  a  child  may  understand : 
"  This  is  my  body,  broken  for  you  ;"  "  This  is  my  blood,  shed  for 
many." 

II.  His  purpose  in  time. — Verse  26.  Christ's  work  is  not  done 
with  a  soul  when  he  has  brought  it  to  pardon,  when  he  has  washed 
it  in  his  own  blood.  Oh.  no  !  the  better  half  of  salvation  remains, 
his  great  work  of  sanctification  remains. 

1.  Who  is  the  author? — He  that  gave  himself  for  the  Church, 
the  Lamb  that  was  slain.  God  having  raised  his  Son  Jesus,  sent 
him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  every  one  of  you  away  from  your 
iniquities.  He  is  exalted  by  the  right  hand  of  God,  and,  having 
obtained  the  promise  of  the  Father,  sheds  him  down.  There  is 
no  hand  can  new  create  the  soul,  but  the  hand  that  was  pierced. 
Many  look  to  a  wrong  quarter  for  sanctification.  They  take  par- 
don from  Christ,  then  lean  on  themselves,  their  promises,  &c.,  for 
holiness.  Ah,  no  !  you  must  take  hold  of  the  hand  that  was 
pierced,  lean  on  the  arm  that  was  racked,  lean  on  the  Beloved 
coming  up  from  the  wilderness.  You  might  as  well  hold  up  the 
sun  on  its  journey,  as  sanctify  yourself.  It  needs  divine  power. 
There  are  three  concerned  in  it.  The  Father,  for  this  is  his  will ; 
the  Son,  he  is  the  Shepherd  of  all  he  saves ;  the  Holy  Ghost. 

*  "  It  is  as  if  a  child  could  take  the  globe  of  earth  and  sea  in  his  two  short  arms." 
— Samuel  Rutherford 


288  SERMON    XLIX. 

2.  The  means :  "  The  Word."  I  believe  he  could  sanctify 
without  the  Word,  as  he  created  angels  and  Adam  holy,  and  as 
he  sanclifies  infants  whose  ear  was  never  opened ;  but  I  believe 
in  grown  men  he  never  will,  but  through  the  Word.  When  Jesus 
makes  holy,  it  is  by  writing  the  Word  in  the  heart :  "  Scinctify 
them  through  thy  truth."  When  a  mother  nurses  her  child,  she 
not  only  bears  it  in  her  arms,  but  holds  it  to  her  breast,  and  feeds 
it  with  the  milk  of  her  own  breast ;  so  does  the  Lord.  He  not 
only  holds  the  soul,  but  feeds  it  with  the  milk  of  the  Word.  The 
words  of  the  Bible  are  just  the  breathings  of  God's  heart.  He 
fills  the  heart  with  these,  to  make  us  like  God.  When  you  go 
much  with  a  companion,  and  hear  his  words,  you  are  gradually 
changed  by  them  into  his  likeness ;  so  when  you  go  with  Christ, 
and  hear  his  words,  you  are  sanctified.  Oh,  there  are  some  whom 
I  could  tell  to  be  Christ's,  by  their  breathing  the  same  sweet 
breath  !  Those  of  you  that  do  not  I'ead  your  Bible,  cannot  turn 
like  God — you  cannot  be  saved.  You  are  unsavable  ;  you  may 
turn  like  the  devil,  but  you  never  will  turn  like  God.  Oh,  believ- 
ers, prize  the  Word  ! 

3.  The  certainty  of  it. — Some  are  afraid  they  will  never  be  holy: 
"  I  shall  fall  under  my  sin."  You  shall  be  made  holy.  It  was  for 
this  Christ  died.  This  was  the  grand  object  he  had  in  view. 
This  was  what  was  in  his  eye  ;  to  build  a  holy  Church  out  of  a 
world  of  lost  sinners ;  to  pluck  brands  out  of  the  fire,  and  make 
them  trees  of  righteousness  ;  to  choose  poor,  black  souls,  and 
make  them  fair  brothers  and  sisters  round  his  throne.  Christ  will 
not  lose  this  object. 

Look  up,  then — be  not  afraid.  He  redeemed  you  to  make  you 
holy.  Though  you  had  a  million  of  worlds  opposing  you,  he  will 
do  it :  "  He  is  faithful,  who  also  will  do  it." 

III.  His  purpose  in  eternity — twofold. 

1.  Its  perfection : — "A  glorious  Church."  At  present  believers 
are  sadly  imperfect.  They  haVe  on  the  perfect  righteousness  that 
will  be  no  brighter  above  ;  but  they  are  not  perfectly  holy  ;  they 
mourn  over  a  body  of  sin,  spots  and  wrinkles.  Neither  are  they 
perfectly  happy.  Often  crushed  ;  waves  go  over  them  ;  like  the 
moon  wading.  But  they  shall  be  perfectly  glorious.  Perfect  in 
righteousness — White  robes,  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Perfect  in  holiness — Filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  Perfect  in  hap- 
piness— This  shall  be.     It  is  all  in  the  covenant. 

2.  He  will  present  it  to  himself — He  will  be  both  Father  and 
Bridegroom.  He  has  bought  the  redeemed,  he  will  give  them 
away  to  himself  The  believer  will  have  great  nearness,  he  shall 
see  the  king  in  his  beauty.  Great  intimacy,  walk  with  him,  speak 
with  him.     He  shall  have  oneness  with  him,  "  AH  that  I  have  is 

thine." 

St.  Peter's,  Jan  ,  1841. — (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON    L.  289 


SERMON  L. 

CHRIST    BECAME    POOR    FOR    SINNERS. 

"  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet 
for  your  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich." — 
2  Cor.  viii.,  9. 

In  these  words,  there  is  brought  before  you  the  amazing  grace  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  broken  bread  and  poured  out  wine 
you  will  this  day  see  the  same  thing  brought  before  your  eyes. 
Before  your  eyes  Jesus  Christ  is  this  day  to  be  evidently  set  forth 
crucified.  It  is  the  most  awakening  sight  in  all  this  world.  Oh  ! 
pray  that  many  secure  sinners  may  this  day  be  brought  to  look 
on  Him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  to  mourn.  It  is  the  most 
peace-giving  sight  in  this  world.  Oh  !  pray  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  be  poured  upon  awakened  souls,  that  they  may  look  to  a  cru- 
cified Jesus  and  be  saved.  It  is  the  most  sanctifying  sight  in  this 
world.  Oh  !  pray  that  all  God's  children  may  look  upon  this  gra- 
cious Saviour,  till  they  are  changed  into  his  image. 

I.  The  Lord  Jesus  was  rich.  • 

The  riches  here  spoken  of  are  not  the  riches  which  he  now 
possesses  as  Mediator,  but  the  riches  which  he  had  with  the  Father 
before  the  world  was.     He  was  full  of  all  riches. 

1 .  He  was  rich  in  the  love  and  admiration  of  all  the  creatures. — 
All  holy  creatures  loved  and  adored  him.  This  is  shown  in  Isa. 
vi. :  "  I  saw  also  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted 
up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it  stood  the  seraphim: 
each  one  had  six  wings  ;  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  with 
twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one 
cried  unto  another,  and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts; 
the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.  And  the  posts  of  the  door 
moved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the  house  was  filled  with 
smoke."  John  (xii.,  41)  tells  us  ;  "These  things  said  Esaias  when 
he  saw  his  glory,  and  spake  of  him." 

It  was  from  all  eternity  the  will  of  God  that  every  creature 
should  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.  The  bright- 
est seraphs  bowed  down  before  him.  The  highest  angels  found 
their  chief  joy  in  always  beholding  his  face.  He  was  their  Cre- 
ator: "By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and 
that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers ;  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him." — Col.  i.,  16.  And,  therefore,  it  was  little 
wonder  that  they  poured  out  their  perpetual  adorations  before 
him.  Now  there  is  great  joy  in  being  loved  by  one  holy  creature ; 
it  fills  the  heart  with  true  joy  ^  but  every  holy  creature  loved  Je- 

19 


UIHIMliMIUIHHUaB 


290  SERMON    L. 

sus  with  their  whole  heart  and  strength.     This,  then,  was  part  of 
his  riches — part  of  his  infinite  joy. 

2.  He  was  rich  in  the  love  of  the  Father.  This  is  shown  in 
Prov.  viii.,  22,  30 :  "  The  Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of 
his  way,  before  his  works  of  old.  Then  I  was  by  him,  as  one 
brought  up  with  him  :  and  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always 
before  him."  To  be  loved  by  God  is  the  truest  of  all  riches. 
The  love  of  the  creatures  is  but  poor  love,  may  soon  die  ;  but  the 
love  of  God  is  undying,  unchanging  love.  The  creatures  may 
love  us,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  help  us  ;  but  God's  love  is  a  satisfy- 
ing portion. 

But  none  ever  enjoyed  the  love  of  God  as  Jesus  did.  True, 
God's  love  to  the  holy  angels  is  infinite  ;  and  he  says,  in  John  xvii., 
26,  that  he  loves  believers  with  the  same  love  with  which  he  loves 
Christ :  '"  That  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be  in 
them ;"  still  there  is  this  infinite  difference  between  believers  and 
Christ,  that  they  can  contain  but  a  few  drops  of  the  love  of  God  ; 
they  are  but  vessels,  they  cannot  open  their  mouth  wide  enough. 
But  Jesus  could  contain  all  the  infinite  ocean  of  the  love  of  God. 
In  the  Son  there  was  an  object  worthy  of  the  infinite  love  of  the 
Father;  and  if  the  Father's  love  was  infinite,  so  the  bosom  of  the 
Son  was  infinite  also.  From  all  eternity  there  was  the  flowing  of 
infinite  love  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father  into  the  bosom  of  the 
Son:  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son" — "Rejoicing  always  before 
him."  This  was  the  greatest  riches  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  This 
was  the  infinite  ti-easure  of  his  soul.  If  a  man  has  the  love  of 
God,  he  can  well  want  all  other  things.  .  If  a  man  want  food  and 
raiment ;  if  he  be  like  Lazarus  at  the  rich  man's  gate,  full  of  sores  ; 
still,  if  he  be  lying  in  the  love  of  God,  he  is  truly  rich.  Much 
more  the  well-beloved  Son  of  God,  the  only  begotten  of  the  Fa- 
ther, was  rich  in  the  full  outpouring  of  the  Father's  love  from  all 
eternity. 

3.  He  was  rich  in  power  and  glory.  He  was  the  Creator  ot 
all  worlds :  "  Without  him  was  not  anything  made  that  was  made." 
He  was  the  Preserver  of  all  worlds  :  "  By  him  all  things  consist," 
and  hang  together.  All  worlds,  therefore,  were  his  domain  ;  he 
was  Lord  of  all.  He  could  say  :  "  Every  beast  of  the  forest  is 
mine,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I  know  all  the  fowls 
of  the  mountains :  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field  are  mine.  If 
I  were  hungry,  I  would  not  tell  thee :  for  the  world  is  mine,  and 
the  fulness  thereof." — Ps.  1.,  10-12.  All  lands  sang  aloud  to  him  : 
the  sea  roared  his  praise — the  cedars  bowed  before  him  in  lowly 
adoration.  Nay,  he  could  say  :  "  All  things  that  the  Father  hath 
are  mine"  (John  xvi.,  15)  ;  and  he  could  speak  to  his  Father  of  the 
glory  which  he  had  with  him  before  the  world  was.  Whatever 
of  power,  glory,  riches,  blessedness,  the  Father  had,  dwelt  with 
equal  fulness  in  the  Son  ;  for  he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought 


SERMON    L.  291 

it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.     This  was  the  riches  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

Oh,  brethren  !  can  you  trust  your  salvation  to  such  an  one  ? 
You  hear  it  was  he  that  undertook  to  be  the  surety  of  sinners, 
and  died  for  them.  Can  you  trust  your  soul  in  the  hands  of  such 
an  one  ?  Ah  !  surely  if  so  rich  and  glorioiis  a  being  undertake  foi 
us,  he  will  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged,  "  till  he  have  set  judgment 
in  the  earth  ;  and  the  isles  shall  wait  for  his  law." 

II.   Christ  became  poor. 

He  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God  ;  but  he  made  himself  of  no  reputation  (  cKcvcdcey  ), 
and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men  :  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross.  He  became  poor  in  all  those  things  wherein  he  had  been 
rich. 

1.  At  his  birth.     (1.)  He  laid  aside  the  adoration  of  the  creatures. 
He  left  the  hallelujahs  of  the  heavenly  world  for  the  manger  at 
Bethlehem.  No  angel  bowed  before  the  infant  Saviour  ;  no  seraph 
veiled  his  face  and  feet  before  him.     The  world  knew  him  not. 
A  few  shepherds  from  the  fields  of  Bethlehem  came  and  kneeled 
to  him,  and  the  wise  men  saw  and  adored  the  infant  King  ;  but  the 
most  despised  saw  him.     His  mother  wrapped  him  in  swaddling 
clothes  and  laid  him  in  a  manger,  for  there  was  no  room  for  them 
in  the  inn :  "  He  became  poor."      (2.)  He  left  the  love  of  God. 
The  moment  that  babe  was  born,  he  became  the  surety  of  a  guilty 
world.     He  was  born  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law.     The  law 
took  hold  of  him,  even  in  infancy,  as  our  surety.     From  the  cradle 
to  the  cross  he  was  bearing  the  sins  of  many  ;  and  therefore  he 
says :  *'  I  am  afflicted  and  ready  to  die  from  my  youth  up ;  while 
I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted." — Ps.  Ixxxv.,  15.     Ah  !  what 
a  change  was  here,  from  the  infinite  joy  of  his  Fathers  love  to  the 
misery  and  terror  of  his  Father's  frown  :  "  He  became  poor." 
(3.)  He  left  the  poiuer  and  glory  that  he,  had. — Instead  of  want- 
ing nothing,  he  became  a  helpless  baby  in  want  of  everything. 
Instead  of  saying :  "  If  I  were  hungry,  I  would  not  tell  thee,"  he 
needed  now  the  milk  of  his  mother's  breast.     Instead  of  holding 
up  worlds  with  his  arm,  he  needed  now  to  be  supported — to  be 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  in  a  manger,  watched  by 
a  mother's  tender  eye  :  "  He  was  rich,  and  became  poor." 

2.  In  his  life. — He  that  was  adored  by  the  myriads  of  heaven 
was  lightly  esteemed.  Few  believed  on  him  ;  they  called  him 
glutton,  wine-bibber,  deceiver.  Once  they  sought  to  cast  him 
over  the  rocks,  often  they  plotted  to  kill  him.  He  that  before  re- 
ceived the  full  love  of  God,  now  received  his  full  frown.  The 
cloud  became  every  day  darker  over  his  soul.  Many  of  the  hills 
and  valleys  of  this  world  re-echoed  with  his  cries  and  bitter  agony. 


292  SERMON     L. 

Gethsemane  was  watered  with  his  blood.  He  that  had  all  things 
as  his  domain,  now  wanted  everything.  Certain  women  minister- 
ed to  him  of  their  substance. — Luke  viii.,  3.  He  had  no  money 
to  pay  the  tribute,  and  a  fish  of  the  sea  had  to  bring  it  to  him. — 
Matt!^  xvii.,  27.  The  creatures  of  his  hand  had  a  warmer  bed 
than  he :  "  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests,  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head." — Matt, 
viii.  Every  man  went  to  his  own  home — Jesus  went  to  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  And  again,  we  are  told,  as  they  sailed,  Jesus  was 
asleep  on  a  pillow.  Another  time  he  sat  wearied  at  the  well,  and 
said :  "  Give  me  to  drink."  He  that  was  God  over  all,  blessed 
for  ever,  could  say,  "  I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man :"  "  He  became 
poor." 

3.  In  his  death  most  of  all  he  became  poor. 

(1.)  Once  his  ear  was  filled  with  the  holy  songs  of  angels, 
hymning  their  pure  praises :  "  Holy,  holy,  holy ;"  now  his  ears 
are  filled  with  the  cry  of  his  creatures  :  "  Not  this  man,  but  Barab- 
bas,"  "  Crucify  him,  crucify  him."  Once  every  face  was  veiled 
before  him  ;  now  rulers  deride  him,  soldiers  mock  him,  thieves  rail 
on  him.  They  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  wag  the  head,  they  give  him 
vinegar  to  drink.  "  He  became  poor "  indeed.  (2.)  Once  God 
loved  him  without  a  cloud  between  ;  now  not  a  ray  of  divine  love 
fell  upon  his  soul :  but  instead  of  it  a  stream  of  infinite  wrath. 
He  that  once  said :  "  The  Lord  possessed  me :  I  was  daily  his 
delight,"  now  cried  :  "  Eloi.  Eloi,  lama  sabacthani."  Ah  !  this  was 
poverty  indeed.  (3.)  Once  he  gave  being  to  unnumbered  worlds, 
gave  life  to  all — he  was  the  Prince  of  life  ;  but  now  he  bowed  his 
head,  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  He  lay  down  in  the  grave  among 
worms.     He  became  a  worm,  and  no  man. 

Ah  !  this  is  what  is  set  before  you  in  bread  and  wine  to-day :  The 
Son  of  God  became  poor.  He  takes  simple  bread,  to  show  you 
it  is  a  poor  man  that  is  set  before  you — broken  bread,  to  show 
that  he  is  a  crucified  Saviour.  Ah!  sinners,  whilst  you  gaze  on 
these  simple  elements,  remember  the  suflTerings  of  him  who  was 
Lord  of  glory,  and  who  died  for  sinners.  "  This  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me." 

III.  For  what  end  ? — "  For  your  sakes,  that  ye  through  his 
poverty  might  be  rich." 

The  persons  for  whom  : — "  For  your  sakes."  Corinth  was  one 
of  the  most  wicked  cities  that  ever  was  on  the  face  of  the  world. 
It  lav  between  two  seas ;  so  that  luxury  came  flowing  in  from  the 
cast  and  from  the  west.  These  Corinthians  had  been  saved  from 
the  deepest  abominations,  as  you  learn  from  1  Cor.  vi.,  11  :  "  Such 
were  some  of  you  ;"  and  yet  it  was  for  the  sake  of  such  that  the 
Lord  of  glory  became  poor — "  for  your  sakes."  In  like  manner, 
Paul,  writing  to  the  Romans,  says  (v.  6)  :  "  When  we  were  with- 
out strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."    Ah !  see 


SERMON     L.  293 

what  names  are  here  given  to  those  for  whom  Christ  died  : 
"  Without  strength"  unable  to  believe,  or  to  think  a  right  thought ; 
"  ungodly^  living  as  if  there  were  no  God  ;  "  sinners"  breaking 
God's  holy  law  ;  "  enemies"  hating  and  opposing  a  holy  God  of 
love. 

Oh,  brethren  !  this  is  good  news  for  the  most  wicked  of  men. 
Are  there  some  of  you  who  feel  that  you  are  like  a  beast  before 
God,  or  all  over  sin,  like  a  devil  ?  Some  of  you  have  lived  in  the 
abominations  of  Corinth.  Some  of  you  are  like  the  Romans — 
without  strength,  ungodly,  sinners,  enemies  ;  yet  for  your  sakes 
Christ  became  poor.  He  left  glory  for  souls  as  vile  as  you.  He 
left  the  songs  of  angels,  the  love  of  his  Father,  and  the  glories 
of  heaven,  for  just  such  wretches  as  you  and  me.'  He  died 
for  the  ungodly.  Do  not  be  afraid,  sinners,  to  lay  hold  upon  him. 
It  was  for  your  sakes  he  came.  He  will  not,  he  cannot  cast  you 
out. 

Oh,  sinners  !  you  are  poor  indeed  ;  but  he  will  make  you  rich. 
All  the  riches  he  left  he  is  ready  to  raise  you  to.  He  will  make 
you  rich  in  the  love  of  God — rich  in  the  peace  that  passeth  all 
understanding,  if  you  truly  lay  hold  on  him.  The  wrath  of  God 
will  pass  away  from  you,  and  he  will  love  you  freely.  The  love 
wherewith  God  loves  Christ  shall  be  on  you.  He  will  make 
you  rich  in  holiness.  He  will  fill  you  with  all  the  fulness  of 
God.  He  will  make  you  rich  in  eternity.  You  will  behold  his 
glory  ;  you  will  enter  into  his  joy  ;  you  will  sit  with  him  on  his 
throne. 

IV.  The  grace  in  all  this  : — "  Ye  know  the  grace." 
There  is  much  to  be  seen  in  this  amazing  work.  There  is  deep 
wisdom — "  the  wisdom  of  God — the  hidden  wisdom,  which  God 
ordained  before  the  world  unto  our  glory ;"  there  is  power,  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation;  but  most  of  all,  grace  is  to  be  seen 
in  it  from  beginning  to  end.  "  Ye  know  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus." 

When  Jesus  washed  the  disciples'  feet,  when  he  came  to  Peter, 
Peter  said :  *'  Lord,  dost  thou  wash  my  feet  1"  Three  things 
amazed  him  : — L  The  glorious  being  that  knelt  down  before  him : 
"  Thou."  2.  The  lowly  action  he  was  going  to  perform  :  "  Dost 
thou  wash?"  3.  The  vile  wretch  whose  feet  were  to  be  washed : 
"  My  feet."  He  was  amazed  at  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  So 
in  this  amazing  work  you  may  see  a  threefold  grace: — L  The 
glorious  being  that  undertook  for  sinners :  "  He  who  was  rich." 
2.  The  depth  to  which  he  stooped  :  "  He  became  poor."  3.  The 
wretches  whose  souls  were  to  be  washed :  "  For  your  sakes." 
Ah  !  well  may  you  be  amazed  this  day,  and  cry  out  :  "  Dost  thou 
\v[ash  my  soul  ?" 

Lastly,  The  sin  and  danger  of  not  knowing. 


294  SERMON     L. 

1.  I  would  speak  to  those  who  do  not  know  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. — I  fear  the  most  of  you  are  still  ignorant  of  Christ :  "  The 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him."  Ah,  brethren  !  think  this  day  who 
it  is  you  arc  lightly  esteeming.  Did  you  ever  see  the  son  of  a 
king  lay  by  his  robes,  and  his  glory,  and  become  a  poor  man,  and 
die  in  misery  ;  and  all  this  for  nothing  1  Do  you  think  the  Lord 
Jesus  left  his  Father's  love,  and  the  adoration  of  angels,  and  be- 
came a  worm,  and  died  under  wrath,  and  all  for  no  purpose  ?  Is 
there  no  wrath  lying  upon  you  ?  Have  you  no  need  of  Christ  ? 
Ah  !  why,  then,  do  you  not  flee  unto  him  ? 

"  Ungrateful  sinners  !  whence  this  scorn 
Of  God's  long-suflfring  grace  ? 
And  whence  this  madness,  that  insults 
Th'  Almighty  to  his  face  ?" 

Ah !  remember,  as  long  as  you  come  not  to  Christ,  you  are 
despising  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  sinning  against  the  love 
of  God.  What  though  you  make  a  show  of  coming  to  Christ  1 
What  though  you  pretend  it  by  coming  to  his  table,  and  doing 
honor  to  the  poor  bread  and  wine  ?  The  poor  Papist  adores  the 
bread,  while  he  denies  the  Saviour ;  and  so  you  may  waste  your 
honor  on  the  bread  and  wine,  while  you  are  all  the  time  rejecting 
and  despising  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

2.  /  would  welcome  poor  sinners  to  Jesus  Christ. — He  became 
poor  for  such  as  you.  He  did  not  come  for  those  '•  who  are  rich 
and  increased  in  goods,  and  stand  in  need  of  nothing."  Do  not 
say  you  are  too  vile  for  such  a  Saviour.  If  you  have  all  the  pol- 
lutions of  a  Corinthian,  all  the  wicked  heart  of  a  Roman,  he  came 
on  purpose  for  such  as  you.  You  are  the  very  souls  he  came  to 
seek  and  save.  His  salvation  is  all  of  grace.  Free  favor  to  those 
that  deserve  hell  !  Do  not  deny  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It 
is  false  humility  that  keeps  any  back  from  Christ ;  for,  "  there  is 
no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek,  for  the  same  Lord 
over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him."  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money  come  ; 
let  him  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price." 

3.  To  you  that  know  Jesus,  and  his  gj-ace. — Oh !  study  him 
more.  You  will  spend  eternity  in  beholding  his  glory ;  spend 
time  in  beholding  his  grace.  That  you  may  know  your  ovs^q  vile- 
ness,  that  you  may  abhor  yourself,  that  you  may  see  what  a  poor 
hell-deserving  creature  you  are,  oh !  study  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  That  your  peace  may  be  like  a  river,  full,  deep,  and  last- 
ing, learn  more  of  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  Come  and 
declare  with  joy  at  the  Lord's  table  all  that  he  has  done  for  your 
soul.  Oh  !  learn  more.  Few  know  much  of  Christ.  You  have 
infinitely  more  to  learn  than  you  have  ever  known. 

St.  Peter's,  April  18,  1841.— (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON    LI.  295 


SERMON  LI. 

ENEMIES  RECONCILED  THROUGH  DEATH. 

"  And  you  that  were  sometime  alienated  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by  wicked 
works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  pre- 
sent you  holy,  and  unblamable,  and  unreprovable  in  his  sight :  if  ye  continue  in 
the  faith  grounded  and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gos- 
pel."—Col.  i.,  21-23. 

I.  The  past  condition  of  all  who  are  now  believers  :  "  You  that 
were  sometime  alienated  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by  T^^icked 
works."  When  two  famiUes  have  quarrelled  with  one  another, 
they  become  alienated  from  one  another :  they  do  not  visit  one 
another  any  more  ;  their  children  are  not  allowed  to  speak  together 
as  formerly ;  if  they  meet  in  the  street,  they  look  another  way. 
So  it  is  with  unconverted  sinners  and  God  ;  they  are  alienated 
from  God  ;  they  do  not  visit  God ;  they  do  not  seek  his  presence  ; 
they  do  not  love  to  meet  his  children  ;  they  do  not  like  their  words 
nor  their  ways.  When  God  meets  them  in  a  pointed  sermon  or 
providence,  they  try  to  look  another  way,  that  they  may  not  meet 
God's  eye. 

1.  Alienated. — This  word  is  used  three  times  :  "  Ye  were  aliens 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel."  Eph.  ii.,  12.  "  Alienated 
from  the  life  of  God."  Eph.  iv.,  18.  And  again  here.  In  all,  it 
paints  to  the  life  the  true  character  of  every  unconverted  man. 
It  is  vain  to  conceal  it,  dear  unconverted  brethren.  You  may 
pretend  the  greatest  love  to  ministers,  to  sacraments,  to  meetings 
of  Christians ;  still  the  true  state  of  your  heart  is  estrangement 
from  God.  Ah  !  I  fear  there  are  many  of  you  come  to  the  church, 
and  even  to  the  sacrament,  with  the  name  of  Christ  on  your  lips, 
and  a  cold,  estranged  heart  in  your  breast:  "  They  did  flatter  him 
with  their  mouth,  and  they  lied  unto  him  with  their  tongues ;  for 
their  heart  was  not  right  with  God."     Psalm  Ixxviii.,  36. 

2.  Enemies  in  your  minds. — This  is  more  than  estrangement. 
You  may  be  strange  to  a  man,  and  yet  not  hate  him ;  but  uncon- 
verted souls  hate  God.  The  whole  Bible  bears  witness  that  all 
unconverted  men  hate  God.  In  Rom.  i.,  29,  it  is  said :  "  They  did 
not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge  ;"  so  that  God  gave  them 
up  to  a  reprobate  mind,  so  that  they  became  "  Haters  of  God." 
In  Exod.  XX.,  5,  God  says :  "  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous 
God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  to  the 
third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me,"  And  again : 
"  Know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  against 
God  ?  Whosoever,  therefore,  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world,  must 
be  the  enemy  of  God."     James  iv.,  4. 

Would  God  say  this  if  it  were  not  the  case  ?     God  knows  best 


296  SERMON    LI. 

what  is  really  in  the  heart  of  man.  It  is  true  you  may  not  show 
this  hatred  in  your  words,  or  in  your  manner  ;  you  may  not  curse 
God,  not  even  in  a  whisper  ;  but  God  says  it  is  in  your  mind.  It 
is  at  the  bottom  of  that  muddy  pool.  In  hell,  where  all  restraints 
are  lifted  away,  you  will  curse  God  through  all  eternity. 

The  most  amazing  trial  of  this  that  could  be,  was  when  God 
came  into  this  world.  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh.  In  him 
dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  All  the  perfections 
of  God  flowed  through  his  bosom.  There  was  not  a  feature  of 
God  but  it  was  shining  through  his  glorious  countenance,  yet  soft- 
ened to  human  eyes  by  all  the  perfections  of  his  manhood.  Did 
men  love  him  when  they  saw  him  ?  Let  Isaiah  (liii.)  answer : 
"  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men."  Or,  hear  his  own  words  : 
"  The  world  cannot  hate  you  ;  but  me  it  hateth,  because  I  testify 
of  it  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil." — John  vii.,  7.  And,  again  : 
"  He  that  hateth  me,  hateth  my  Father  also.  If  I  had  not  done 
among  them  the  works  which  none  other  man  did,  they  had  not 
had  sin ;  but  now  have  they  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my 
Father." — John  xv.,  23,  24.  How  did  they  deal  with  him  1  They 
slew  him,  and  hanged  him  on  a  tree,  they  buffeted  him  and  spat 
on  him,  they  scourged  and  crucified  him,  they  nailed  and  pierced 
him.  They  were  no  worse  than  other  men  ;  men  of  like'passions 
as  we  are :  and  yet  the  opportunity  showed  what  is  in  man. 

It  is  vain  for  you  to  conceal  it,  dear  unconverted  brethren,  that 
your  heart  is  full  of  enmity  to  God ;  that  you  are  haters  of  God. 
Although  it  is  fearful  to  think  of,  yet  it  is  true,  that  all  of  you  who 
are  friends  of  the  world  are  enemies  of  God  ;  and  though  I  believe 
in  my  heart  there  is  not  one  of  you  here  present  that  would  wan- 
tonly kill  a  fly  or  a  worm,  yet  I  fear  there  are  many  who,  if  you 
could,  would  kill  God. 

What  is  the  reason  of  this  enmity  ?  Ans.  "  By  wicked  works." 
It  is  the  love  of  their  sins  that  makes  men  hate  God.  Jesus  himself 
tells  you  this  :  "  Me  it  hateth,  because  I  testify  of  it  that  the  works 
thereof  are  evil."  You  could  hardly  imagine  it  possible  that  any 
one  could  hate  the  Lord  Jesus.  "  He  is  altogether  lovely."  There 
is  no  perfection  in  God  but  it  dwelt  in  him  ;  there  is  no  loveliness 
in  man  but  it  shone  in  him.  And  then  his  errand  was  one  of 
purest  love.  He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. 
He  healed  all  that  came  ;  spoke  lovingly  to  all.  Even  his  threat- 
enings  were  mingled  with  tears  of  compassion.  How  could  they 
hate  him  ?  He  told  them  of  their  sins  ;  that  these  sins  were  sink- 
ing them  to  hell.  He  said  :  "  Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins,  and  whither 
I  go  ye  cannot  come."  He  offered  to  save  them  from  their  sins  ; 
to  give  them  rest ;  rest  from  the  weary  load  of  guilt ;  rest  from 
the  tossing  of  a  wicked  heart.  It  was  this  which  enraged  them. 
They  loved  their  wicked  works  ;  they  did  not  want  to  be  saved 
out  of  them  ;  therefore,  they  hated  Jesus. 

So  is  it  still.     Many  of  you,  when  you  first  heard  the  Gospel, 


SERMON    LI.  297 

said  ;  "  This  is  very  fine  ;  we  will  hear  thee  again  of  this  matter." 
The  offer  of  pardon  and  heaven,  a  crown  and  a  harp,  and  freedom 
from  hell — all  this  sounded  well ;  but  when  you  found  out  that  you 
must  "  break  off  your  sins  by  righteousness,"  that  Christ  "  will 
save  his  people  from  their  sins,"  then  you  began  to  linger,  to 
ponder,  to  hesitate,  to  turn  back  and  hate  God.  When  you  saw 
that  Christ  would  part  you  from  your  glass,  from  your  oaths,  from 
your  cards  and  dice,  from  your  lusts — then  you  hated  him.  Alas  ! 
what  a  sad  choice  you  have  made !  loved  your  sin,  and  hated 
the  Saviour  !     "  They  that  hate  me  love  -death." 

Children  of  God,  this  was  ijour  state.  Eat  bitter  herbs  with 
your  passover  this  day.  Oh  !  do  not  forget  your  sin.  You  were 
sometime  alienated  and  enemies  of  God  by  wicked  works.  Can 
you  look  back  without  being  confounded  ? 

II.  The  reconciliation :  "  Yet  now  hath  he  reconciled  in  the 
body  of  his  flesh  through  death." — Verse  21.  This  is  the  amazing 
work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  this  is  the  blessed  state  into 
which  he  brings  every  saved  soul. 

1.  He  took  on  him  a  body  of  fiesh.  Out  of  pure  love  to  hell-de- 
serving worms,  "  he  that  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it 
no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  emptied  himself,  and  took  upon 
him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men." 
In  order  to  be  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  he  must  obey  the  law,  which 
we  had  never  obeyed — he  must  live  a  lifetime  of  sinless  obe- 
dience ;  but  how  shall  the  great  God  who  made  the  law  do  this  ? 
He  was  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  re- 
deem them  that  were  under  the  law.  Again  :  if  he  will  save  sin- 
ners, he  must  drink  their  cup  of  suffering,  he  must  bear  their 
stripes,  their  sins — on  his  own  body.  But  how  shall  the  infinitely 
holy,  happy,  and  unchangeable  God,  suffer  this  ?  Because  the 
children  were  of  flesh,  he  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same. 
He  became  united  to  a  weak,  frail,  human  soul  and  body ;  so  that 
he  could  suffer,  weep,  groan,  bleed,  die.  "  Great  is  the  mystery 
of  godliness,  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh."  Again  :  if  he  will 
be  the  Saviour  and  elder  brother  of  sinners  ;  if  he  will  know  their 
sorrows,  and  be  their  tender  shepherd  ;  he  must  have  a  human 
heart ;  a  breast  filled  with  all  the  milk  of  a  mother's  tenderness. 
But  how  can  this  be,  when  he  is  infinitely  holy,  wise,  just,  and 
true  ?  Ah  !  he  became  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh. 
"  When  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  came  to  David  to  Hebron,  they 
said.  Behold,  we  are  thy  bone  and  thy  flesh"  (2  Sam.  v.,  1)  ;  and 
so  can  we  in  going  to  Christ :  "  He  is  one  that  can  be  touched 
with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmity."  Ah  !  to  all  eternity  the  incarna- 
tion of  Jesus  will  be  the  theme  of  our  wonder  and  praise.  Bre- 
thren, you  will  all  see  that  face.  Some  of  you  will  wail  when 
you  see  it.      When  that  lovely  countenance  gleams  through  the 


298  SERMON    LI. 

clouds,  you  will  call  on  rocks  and  mountains  to  cover  you.     It  is 
the  Saviour  you  have  rejected  and  despised. 

2.  He  died  :  "  Through  death"— The  death  of  Christ  is  the 
most  amazing  event  that  ever  took  place  in  the  universe  ;  and 
therefore  the  Lord's  supper  is  the  most  amazing  of  all  ordinances. 
The  angels  desire  to  look  into  it.  I  doubt  not  that  angels  hover 
round  the  communion  table,  and  sing  their  sw^eetest  praises  to  the 
Lamb,  when  they  see  that  bread  broken,  and  that  wine  poured  out. 
If  the  incarnation  of  Jesus  was  wonderful,  far  more  wonderful 
was  his  dying.  This  was  the  highest  summit  of  his  obedience  : 
"Obedient  unto  death."  It  was  the  lowest  depth  of  his  humilia- 
tion. He  stood  silent  under  our  accusations  ;  he  lay  down  under 
our  curse  ;  he  bore  our  hell,  and  died  our  death.  He  was  the  great 
Lawgiver — the  Judge  of  ail — before  whom  every  creature  must 
stand  and  be  judged  ;  and  yet  he  consented  to  come  and  stand  at 
the  bar  of  his  wicked  creatures,  and  to  be  condemned  by  them  ! 
He  was  adored  by  every  holy  creature ;  their  sweetest  praises 
were  poured  out  at  his  feet ;  and  yet  he  came  to  be  spit  upon  and 
reviled — to  be  mocked,  and  nailed,  and  crucified,  by  the  vilest  of 
men  !  "  In  him  was  life."  He  was  the  Prince  of  lile — the  author 
of  all  natural  and  spiritual  life  ;  he  gave  to  all  life  and  breath, 
and  all  things  ;  and  yet  they  killed  him.  He  gave  up  the  ghost — • 
he  lay  in  the  cold  grave.  The  Father  loved  him  infinitely,  eter- 
nally— without  beginning,  or  intermission,  or  end  ;  and  yet  he  was 
made  a  curse  for  us — bore  the  same  wrath  that  is  poured  upon 
damned  spirits. 

Ah  !  brethren,  herein  was  infinite  love.  Infidels  scoff  at  it — 
fools  despise  it ;  but  it  is  the  wonder  of  all  heaven.  The  Lamb 
that  was  slain  will  be  the  wonder  of  eternity.  To-day  Christ  is 
evidently  set  forth  crucified  among  you.  Angels,  I  doubt  not, 
will  look  down  in  amazing  wonder  at  that  table.  Will  you  look 
on  with  cold,  unmoved  hearts  ?  It  is  a  sight  of  the  Lamb  slain 
that  moves  the  hosts  of  Ireaven  to  praise. — Rev.  v.,  8.  When 
that  Lamb,  as  it  had  been  slain,  appears,  they  fall  down  before 
him,  having  every  one  of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of 
odors.     Will  you  not  praise  him  ? 

3.  He  hath  reconciled  us  :  "  Yet  now  hath  he  reconciled." — 
Sinners,  we  are  not  reconciled  in  the  day  of  our  election,  nor  at 
the  death  of  Christ,  but  in  the  hour  of  conversion.  Oh !  that  is 
a  precious  now  :  "  Now  hath  he  reconciled."  It  is  a  happy  mo- 
ment, when  the  Lord  Jesus  draws  near  to  the  sinful  soul,  and 
w^ashes  him  clean  in  his  precious  blood,  and  clothes  him  in  his 
white  raiment,  and  so  reconciles  him  to  God.  There  is  a  double 
reconciliation  takes  place  in  the  hour  of  believing.  (L)  God  be- 
comes reconciled  to  the  soul.  When  the  soul  is  found  in  Christ,  the 
Father  says  :  "  I  will  heal  his  backsliding,  I  will  love  him  freely ; 
for  mme  anger  is  turned  away  from  him." — Hos.  xiv.,  4.  The  soul 
replies  to  God :  "  I  will  praise  thee  :  though  thou  wast  angry  with 


SERMON    LI.  299 

me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me,"  God 
does  not  impute  to  that  soul  his  trespasses ;  he  reckons  to  him  the 
obedience  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  God  justifies  him  :  "  He  will  save, 
he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy  ;  he  will  rest  in  his  love  ;  he  will 
joy  over  thee  with  singing." — Zeph.  iii.,  17.  (2.)  The  soul  is  re- 
conciled to  God.  The  Holy  Spirit,  who  bends  the  soul  to  submit 
to  Jesus,  changes  the  heart  to  love  him.  When  the  beasts  came 
into  the  ark,  their  natures  were  changed ;  they  did  not  tear  one 
another  to  pieces,  but  lovingly  entered  two  and  two  into  the  ark  ; 
the  lion  did  not  devour  the  gentle  deer,  nor  did  the  eagle  pursue 
the  dove.  So,  when  sinners  come  to  Christ,  their  heart  is  changed 
from  enmity  to  love. 

Dear  brethren,  has  he  reconciled  you  to  God  ?  You  were  some- 
time afar  off;  have  you  been  brought  nigh  ?  You  were  sometime 
darkness ;  have  you  been  made  light  in  the  Lord  ?  You  were 
sometime  alienated  and  enemies  in  your  mind ;  has  he  reconciled 
you  ?  has  he  brought  you  into  the  light  of  God's  reconciled  coun- 
tenance ?  Is  God's  anger  turned  away  from  you  ?  Can  you  sing ; 
"  O  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee :  though  thou  wast  angry  with  me, 
thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me''  (Isa.  xii.) ; 
or,  "Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul:  and  all  thnt  is  within  me  bless 
his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his 
benefits :  who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities ;  who  healeth  all  thy 
diseases  ;  who  redeemcth  thy  life  from  destruction  ?" — Ps.  ciii. 
Have  you  been  changed  to  love  God?  Do  you  love  his  Word, 
his  people,  his  way  of  leading  you  ? 

III.  The  future  object  in  view  :  "  That  he  might  present  you 
holy,  and  unblamable,  and  unre provable  in  his  sight." 

Sacrament  days  are  solemn  days :  but  there  is  a  more  solemn 
day  at  hand,  even  at  the  door.  Here  we  meet  to  teach  you  and  feed 
you,  and  get  you  to  meet  v/ith  Christ,  and  to  live  upon  him  ;  there 
we  shall  meet  to  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ.  In  that 
day  Christ  will  take  those  of  you  whom  he  has  redeemed  and 
reconciled,  and  present  you  to  himself  a  glorious  Church.  He 
will  confess  your  name  before  his  Father,  and  present  you  fault- 
less before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy.  There 
is  a  double  perfection  the  saints  will  have  in  that  day. 

L  You  will  he  perfectly  righteous.  You  will  be  "  unreprova- 
ble."  Satan  will  accuse  you,  and  the  world,  and  conscience  ;  but 
Christ  will  say :  "  The  chastisement  of  their  peace  was  upon 
me."     Christ  will  show  his  scars,  and  say:  "I  died  for  that  soul." 

2.  You  will  he  perfectly  holy :  "  Holy  and  unblamable."  The 
body  of  sin  you  wdl  leave  behind  you.  The  Spirit  who  dwells 
m  you  now  will  complete  his  work.  You  will  be  like  Jesus  ;  for 
you  will  see  him  as  he  is.*  You  will  be  holy  as  God  is  holy,  pure 
as  Christ  is  pure. 

Every  one  whom  Christ  reconciles  he  makes  holy,  and  con- 


V 


300  SERMON    LI. 

fesses  before  his  Father :  "  Whom  he  justified,  them  he  glorified." 
If  Christ  has  truly  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  he  will  perform  it 
to  the  day  of  Christ  Jesus.  Christ  says  :  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  beginning  and  the  ending."  Whenever  he  begins,  he  will  make 
an  end.  Whenever  he  builds  a  stone  as  the  foundation,  he  will 
preserve  it  unshaken  to  the  end.  Only  make  sure  that  you  are 
upon  the  foundation,  that  you  are  reconciled,  that  you  have  true 
peace  with  God,  and  then  you  may  look  across  the  mountains  and 
rivers  that  are  between  you  and  that  day,  and  say:  "He  is  able 
to  keep  me  from  falling."  You  have  but  two  shallow  brooks  to 
pass  through — sickness  and  death ;  and  he  has  promised  to  meet 
you,  to  go  with  you,  foot  for  foot.  A  few  more  tears,  a  few  more 
temptations,  a  few  more  agonizing  prayers,  a  few  more  sacra- 
ments, and  you  will  stand  with  the  Lamb  upon  Mount  Zion  ! 

IV.  Perseverance  is  needful  to  salvation :  "  If  ye  continue  in 
the  faith  grounded  and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the 
hope  of  the  Gospel." — Verse  23.  All  whom  Christ  reconciles 
will  be  saved ;  but  only  in  the  way  of  persevering  in  the  faith. 
He  grounds  and  settles  them  in  the  cleft  rock,  and  keeps  them  from 
being  moved. 

Dear  believers,  see  that  you  continue  in  the  faith.  Remember 
you  will  be  tried. 

1.  You  7nay  he  tried  hy  false  doctrine.  Satan  may  change  him- 
self into  an  angel  of  light,  and  try  to  beguile  you  by  another  Gos- 
pel.    "  Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  words." 

2.  You  will  he  tried  hy  persecution.  The  world  will  hate  you 
for  your  love  to  Christ.  They  will  speak  all  manner  of  evil 
against  you  falsely. 

3.  You  will  he  tried  hy  jlattei-y.  The  world  will  smile  on  you. 
Satan  will  spread  his  paths  with  flowers  ;  he  will  perfume  his  bed 
with  myrrh,  and  aloes,  and  cinnamon. 

Will  ypu  continue  in  the  faith  ?  Will  you  not  be  moved  away  ? 
Can  you  withstand  all  these  enemies  ?  Remember,  perseverance 
is  needful  to  salvation ;  as  needful  as  faith,  or  as  the  new  birth. 
True,  every  one  that  believes  in  Christ  will  be  saved ;  but  they 
will  be  saved  through  perseverance  :  "  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me, 
he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered  ;  and  men  gather 
them,  and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  arc  burned."  Behold, 
in  Jesus  there  is  strength  for  perseverance.  This  bread  and  wine 
to-day  are  a  pledge  of  that.  Seek  persevering  grace  to-day.  Ask 
this  when  you  take  that  bread  and  wine. 

Hypocrites  !  you  will  one  day  be  known  by  this.  Many  of  you 
seem  to  be  united,  who  truly  are  not.  All  who  have  had  convic- 
tions of  sin  which  have  passed  away,  all  who  have  the  out- 
ward appearance  of  Christians,  but  within  an  unconverted  heart, 
all  who  attend  ordinances,  but  live  in  some  way  of  sin,  you  will 
soon  be  discovered.     You  put  on  an  appearance,  you  pretend  that 


SERMON    LII.  301 

you  do  cleave  to  Christ,  and  get  grace  from  Christ,  oh  !  how  soon 
you  will  be  shown  in  your  true  colors.  Oh !  that  the  thought 
may  pierce  your  heart,  that  even  now,  though  you  came  with  a 
lying  profession  in  your  right  hand,  you  may  be  persuaded  to 
cleave  to  Jesus  in  truth.  Amen. 
St.  Peter's,  Aug.  1, 1841.— (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON  LII. 

MY    GOD,    MY    GOD. 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" — Matt,  xxvii.,  46. 

These  are  the  words  of  the  great  Surety  of  sinners,  as  he  hung 
upon  the  accursed  tree.  The  more  I  meditate  upon  them,  the 
more  impossible  do  I  find  it  to  unfold  all  that  is  contained  in  them. 
You  must  often  have  observed  how  a  very  small  thing  may  be  an 
index  of  something  great  going  on  within.  Tlie  pennant  at  the 
mast-head  is  a  small  thing ;  yet  it  shows  plainly  which  way  the 
wind  blows.  A  cloud  no  bigger  than  a  man's  hand  is  a  small 
thing ;  yet  it  may  show  the  approach  of  a  mighty  storm.  The 
swalloiv  is  a  little  bird  ;  and  yet  it  shows  that  summer  is  come. 
So  is  it  with  man.  A  look,  a  sigh,  a  half-uttered  word,  a  broken 
sentence,  may  show  more  of  what  is  passing  within  than  a  long 
speech.  So  it  was  with  the  dying  Saviour.  These  few  troubled 
words  tell  more  than  volumes  of  divinity. 

May  the  Lord  enable  us  to  find  something  here  that  will  feed 
your  souls ! 

I.  The  completeness  of  ChrisVs  obedience. 

1.  Words  of  obedience:  "My  God,  my  God."  He  was  obedi- 
ent unto  death.  I  have  often  explained  to  you  how  t^e  Lord  Jesus 
came  to  be  a  doing  as  well  as  a  dying  Saviour,  not  only  to  suffer 
all  that  we  should  have  suffered,  but  to  obey  all  that  we  should 
have  obeyed  ;  not  only  to  suffer  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  to  obey 
the  commands  of  the  law.  When  the  thing  was  proposed  to  him 
in  heaven,  he  said :  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  !" 
•'  Yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  Now,  then,  look  at  him  as  a 
man  obeying  his  God.  See  how  perfectly  he  did  it,  even  to  the 
last !  God  says  :  Be  about  my  business,  he  obeys  :  "  Wist  ye  not 
that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  business  ?" 

God  says  :  Speak  to  sinners  for  me,  he  obeys  :  "  I  have  meat  to 
eat  that  ye  know  not  of;  my  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me,  and  to  finish  his  work."  God  says :  Die  in  the  room  of 
sinners,  wade  through  a  sea  of  my  wrath  for  the  sake  of  enemies, 


302 


SERMON    LIT. 


hang  on  a  cross,  and  bleed  and  die  for  them,  he  obeys :  "  No  man 
taketh  my  Hfe  from  me."  The  night  before  he  said :  "  The  cup 
which  my  Faiher  hath  given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?"  But  per- 
iiaps  he  will  shrink  back  when  he  comes  to  thq  cross?  No  ;  for 
three  hours  the  darkness  had  been  over  him.  yet  still  he  says: 
"  My  Go  I,  my  God."  Sinner,  do  you  take  Christ  as  your  surety  ? 
See  how  fully  he  obeyed  for  thee  !  The  great  command  laid 
upon  him  was  to  die  for  sinners.     Behold  how  fully  he  obeys  ! 

2.  Words  of  faith  :  "  My  God,  my  God."  These  words  show 
the  greatest  faith  that  ever  was  in  this  world.  Faith  is  believing 
the  word  of  God,  not  because  we  see  it  to  be  true,  or  feel  it  to  be 
true,  but  because  God  has  said  it.  Now  Christ  was  forsaken. 
He  did  not  see  that  God  was  his  God,  he  did  not  feel  that  God 
was  his  God  ;  and  yet  he  believed  God's  word,  and  cried  :  "  My 
God,  my  God."  (1.)  David  shows  great  faith  in  Ps.  xlii.,  7,8: 
"Deep  calleth  unto  deep  at  the  noise  of  thy  water  spouts :  all  thy 
waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  me.  Yet  the  Lord  will 
command  his  loving  kindness  m  the  daytime,  and  in  the  night  his 
song  shall  be  with  me,  and  my  prayer  unto  the  God  of  my  life." 
He  felt  like  one  covered  with  a  sea  of  troubles.  He  can  see  no 
light,  noway  of  escape;  yet  he  believes  the  word  of  God,  and 
says:  "  Yet  the  Lord  will."  This  is  faith,  believing  when  we  do 
not  see.  (2.)  Jonah  showed  great  faith  :  "  All  thy  billows  and 
thy  waves  passed  over  me  :  then  I  said,  I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight ; 
yet  I  will  look  again  towards  thy  holy  temple." — Jonah  ii.,  3,  4. 
He  was  literally  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  He  knew  no  way  of 
escape,  he  saw  no  light,  he  felt  no  safety  ;  yet  he  believed  the 
word  of  God.  This  was  great  faith.  (3.)  But,  ah  I  a  greater 
than  Jonah  is  here.  Here  is  greater  faith  than  David's,  greater 
faith  than  Jonah's,  greater  faith  than  ever  was  in  the  world,  before 
or  after.  Christ  was  now  beneath  a  deeper  sea  than  Jonah's. 
The  tossing  billows  of  God's  anger  raged  over  him.  He  was  for- 
saken by  God,  he  is  in  outer  darkness,  he  is  in  hell ;  and  yet  he 
believes  the  word  of  God  :  "  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell." 
He  does  not  feel  it,  he  does  not  see  it,  but  he  believes  it,  and  cries : 
"  My  God."  i*^ay,  more,  to  show  his  confidence,  he  says  it  twice : 
"My  God,  my  God."  "  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  1  trust  in 
him."  Dear  believer,  this  is  your  surety.  You  are  often  unbe- 
lieving, distrustful  of  God  ;  behold  your  surety,  cling  to  him,  you 
are  complete  in  him. 

3.  Words  of  love.— ''My  God,  my  God."  (1.)  Those  were 
words  of  sweet  submission  and  love  which  Job  spake,  when  God 
took  away  from  him  property  and  children :  "  Naked  came  I  out 
of  my  mother's  womb."  Sweet,  that  he  could  bless  God  even  in 
taking  away  from  him.  (2.)  Words  of  sweet  submissive  love 
which  old  Eli  spake,  when  God  told  him  that  his  sons  should  die ; 
"  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good."  (3.)  The 
same  sweet  temper  in  the  bosom  of  the  Shunamite  who  lost  her 


SERMON    LII.  303 

child,  when  the  prophet  asked :  "  Is  it  well  with  thee  ?  is  it  well 
with  thy  husband  ?  is  it  well  with  the  child  ?  And  she  answered, 
It  is  well."  (4.)  But,  ah !  here  is  greater  love,  greater,  sweeter 
submission,  than  that  of  Job,  or  Eli,  or  the  Shunamito,  greater 
than  ever  was  breathed  in  this  cold  world  before.  Here  is  a  be- 
ing hanging  between  earth  and  heaven,  forsaken  by  his  God, 
without  a  smile,  without  a  drop  of  comfort,  the  agonies  of  hell 
going  over  him ;  and  yet  he  loves  the  God  that  has  forsaken  him. 
He  does  not  cry  out.  Cruel,  cruel,  Father !  no,  but  with  all  the 
vehemence  of  aftbction,  cries  out,  "  My  God,  my  God." 

Dear,  dear  souls,  is  this  your  surety?  Do  you  take  him  as  obey- 
ing for  you  ?  Ah !  then,  you  are  complete  in  him.  You  have  very 
little  love  for  God.  How  often  you  have  murmured,  and  thought 
God  cruel  in  taking  things  away  from  you  ;  but,  behold  your  sure- 
ty, and  rejoice  in  him  with  exceeding  joy.  Ail  the  merit  of  his 
holy  obedience  is  imputed  to  you. 

II.  The  infinity  of  Chris fs  sufferings. — He  was  forsaken  by 
God  ;  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  The 
Greek  Liturgy  says :  "  We  beseech  thee  by  all  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  known  and  unknown."  All  the  more  we  know  of  Christ's 
sufferings,  the  more  we  see  they  cannot  be  known.  Ah  !  who  can 
tell  the  full  meaning  of  the  broken  bread  and  poured-out  wine  ? 

1.  He  suffered  much'  from  his  enemies.  (1.)  He  suffered  in  all 
parts  of  his  body.  In  his  head  ;  that  was  crowned  with  thorns, 
and  smitten  with  the  reed.  In  his  cheeks ;  for  they  smote  him  on 
the  face,  and  he  gave  his  cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair: 
"  I  hid  not  my  face  from  shame  and  spitting."  In  his  shoulders, 
that  carried  the  heavy  cross.  In  his  back ;  "  I  gave  my  back  to 
the  smiters."  In  his  hands  and  feet :  "  They  pierced  my  hands 
and  my  feet."  In  his  side ;  a  soldier  thrust  a  spear  into  his  side. 
Ah  !  how  well  he  might  say,  "  This  is  my  body,  broken  for  you." 
(2.)  He  suffered  in  all  his  offices.  As  a  prophet :  "  They  smote 
him  on  the  face,  and  said.  Prophesy  who  srhote  thee  ?"  As  a 
priest,  they  mocked  him  wken  offering  up  that  one  offering  for 
sins.  As  a  king,  when  they  bowed  the  knee,  and  said,  "  Hail ! 
king  of  the  Jews."  (3.)  He  suffered  from  all  sorts  of  men,  from 
priests  and  elders,  from  passers  by  and  sold'iers,  from  kings  and 
thieves :  "  Many  bulls  have  compassed  me ;  strong  bulls  of  Ba- 
shan  have  beset  me  round" — "Dogs  have  compassed  me" — 
"  They  have  compassed  me  about  like  bees."  (4.)  He  suffered 
much  from  the  devil :  "  Save  me  from  the*  lion's  mouth."  His 
whole  suffering  was  one  continued  wrestling  with  Satan  ;  for  he 
"spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  and  made  a  show  of  them 
openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  his  cross." 

2.  From  those  he  afterwards  saved. — How  bitter  would  be  the 
scoffing  of  the  thief  who  that  day  was  to  be  forgiven  and  accept- 


304  SERMON    LII. 

ed  !     How  bitter  the  cries  of  the  three  thousand  who  were  so 
soon  brought  to  know  him  whom  they  crucified  ! 

3.  From  his  own  disciples. — They  all  forsook  him  and  fled. 
John,  the  beloved,  stood  afar  off,  and  Peter  denied  him.  It  is  said 
of  the  chamomile  flower,  that  the  more  you  squeeze  and  tread  upon 
it,  the  sweeter  is  the  odor  it  spreads  around.  Ah  !  so  it  was  in  our 
sweet  Rose  of  Sharon.  It  was  the  bruising  of  the  Saviour  that 
spread  sweet  fragrance  around.  It  is  the  bruising  that  makes  his 
name  as  ointment  poured  forth. 

4.  From  his  Father. — All  other  sufferings  were  nothing  in  com- 
parison of  this :  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  V' 
Other  sufferings  were  finite — this  alone  was  infinite  suffering.  It 
was  little  to  be  bruised  by  the  heel  of  man  or  devils ;  but,  ah  !  to 
be  trodden  by  the  heel  of  God :  "  It  pleased  the  Father  to  bruise 
him." 

Three  things  show  the  infinity  of  his  sufferings. 

1.  Who  it  was  that  forsook  him.  Not  his  people  Israel,  not 
Judas  the  betrayer,  not  Peter  his  denier,  not  John  that  lay  in  his 
bosom,  he  could  have  borne  all  this  ;  but,  ah !  it  was  his  Father 
and  his  God.  Other  things  little  affected  him  compared  with  that. 
The  passers  by  wagged  their  heads  ;  he  spoke  not.  The  chief 
priests  mocked  him ;  he  murmured  not.  The  thieves  cast  it  in 
his  teeth  ;  he  was  as  a  deaf  man  who  heareth  not.  God  brought 
a  three  hours'  darkness  over  him — the  outward  darkness  being  an 
image  of  the  darkness  over  his  soul — ah  !  this  was  infinite  agony: 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 

2.  Who  it  was  that  was  forsaken  :  "  Me."  (1.)  One  infinitely 
dear  to  God.  Thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
yet  thou  hast  forsaken  me.  I  was  always  by  thee ;  rejoicing  al- 
ways before  thee.  I  have  basked  in  the  beams  of  thy  love.  Ah  ! 
why  this  terrible  darkness  to  me  ?  "  My  God,  my  God."  (2.) 
One  who  had  an  infinite  hatred  of  sin.  How  dreadful  to  an  inno- 
cent man  to  be  thrust  into  the  cell  of  a  condemned  criminal  !  but, 
ah  !  how  much  more  dreadful  to  Christ,  who  had  an  infinite  hatred 
of  sin,  to  be  regarded  by  God  as  a  sinner.  (3.)  One  who  had  an 
infinite  relish  of  God's  favor.  When  two  friends  of  exalted  minds 
meet  together,  they  have  an  intense  relish  of  one  another's  love. 
How  painful  to  meet  the  cold  averted  looks  of  one  in  whose  favor 
you  find  this  sweet  joy  !     But,  ah  !  this  is  nothing  to  Christ's  pain. 

3.  What  God  did  to  him — forsook  him.  Dear  friends,  let  us 
look  into  this  ocean  through  which  Christ  waded.  (1.)  He  was 
without  any  comforts  of  God — no  feeling  that  God  loved  him  ;  no 
feeling  that  God  pitied  him  ;  no  feeling  that  God  supported  him. 
God  was  his  sun  before  ;  now  that  sun  became  all  darkness.  Not 
a  smile  from  his  Father,  not  a  kind  look,  not  a  kind  word.  (2.) 
He  was  without  God  ;  he  was  as  if  he  had  no  God.  All  that  God 
had  been  to  him  before  was  taken  from  him  now.  He  was  God- 
less ;  deprived  of  his  God.     (3.)  He  had  the  feeling  of  the  con- 


SERMON    LII.  305 

demned,  when  the  Judge  says :  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed," 
"  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power."  He  felt  that 
God  said  the  same  to  him.  Ah  !  this  is  the  hell  which  Christ  suf- 
fered. Dear  friends,  I  feel  like  a  little  child  casting  a  stone  into 
some  deep  ravine  in  the  mountain  side,  and  listening  to  hear  it  fall 
— but  listening  all  in  vain  ;  or  like  the  sailor  casting  the  lead  at 
sea,  but  it  is  too  deep — the  longest  line  cannot  fathom  it.  The 
ocean  of  Christ's  sufferings  is  unfathomable. 

III.  Answer  the  Saviour's  why  ? 

Because  he  was  the  surety  of  sinners,  and  stood  in  their  room. 

1.  He  had  agreed  with  his  Father,  before  all  worlds,  to  stand 
and  suffer  in  the  place  of  sinners:  Every  curse  that  should  fall  on 
them,  let  it  fall  on  me.  Why  should  he  be  suprised  that  God 
poured  out  all  his  fury  ?  "  Why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  Be- 
cause thou  didst  covenant  to  stand  in  the  room  of  sinners. 

2.  He  set  his  face  to  it :  "  He  set  his  face  like  a  flint."  "  He  set 
his  face  steadfastly."  God  set  down  the  cup  before  him  in  the 
garden,  saying :  Art  thou  willing  to  drink  it,  or  no  ?  He  said  : 
"  The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it?" 
"  Therefore  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him."  Why  ?  Be- 
cause thou  hast  chosen  to  be  the  surety ;  thou  wouldst  not  draw 
back  ? 

3.  He  knew  that  either  he  or  the  whole  world  must  suffer.  It  was  his 
pity  for  the  world  made  him  undertake  to  be  a  Saviour  :  "  He  saw 
that  there  was  no  man,  and  wondered  that  there  was  no  interces- 
sor. Therefore  his  arm  brought  salvation  unto  him,  and  his 
righteousness  it  sustained  him."  Why  ?  Either  thou  or  they  ; 
hell  for  thee  or  hell  for  them. 

1.  Lesson  to  Christless  persons.  Learn  your  danger.  Wher- 
ever God  sees  sin  he  will  punish  it ;  angels,  Adam,  old  world, 
Sodom.  He  saw  sins  laid  on  Christ,  and  forsook  his  own  Son. 
You  think  nothing  of  sin.  See  what  God  thinks  of  it.  If  so  much 
as  one  sin  upon  you  unconverted  you  cannot  be  saved.  Though 
thou  wert  the  signet  on  my  right  hand ;  though  thou  wert  the  son 
of  my  bosom  ;  yet  would  I  pluck  thee  thence.  Oh,  let  me  per- 
suade you  this  day  to  an  immediate  closing  with  Jesus  Christ ! 

2.  Lesson.  Admire  the  love  of  Christ.  Oh,  what  a  sea  of 
wrath  did  he  lie  under  for  you  !  Oh,  what  hidings  did  he  bear 
for  you,  vile,  ungrateful  soul  !  The  broken  bread  and  poured-out 
wine  are  a  picture  of  his  love.  Oh,  when  you  look  on  them,  may 
your  heart  break  for  longing  towards  such  a  Saviour  ! 

3.  Lesson.  Say  to  all  who  close  with  Jesus  Christ,  he  was  for- 
saken in  the  room  of  sinners.  If  you  close  with  him  as  your 
surety,  you  will  never  be  forsaken.  From  the  broken  bread 
and  poured-out  wine  seems  to  rise  the  cry :  "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 

20 


306  SERMON    LIU. 

For  me — for  me.    May  God  bless  his  own  Word 

(Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON  LIII. 


DEATH    OF    STEPHEN. 


"And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling  upon  God,  and  saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit." — Acts  vii.,  59. 

Stephen  was  the  first  to  die  as  a  martyr  in  the  cause  of  Christ ; 
and  he  seems  to  have  resembled  the  Saviour  more  than  any  that 
followed  after.  His  very  face  appeared  like  the  face  of  an  angel. 
His  irresistible  wisdom  in  arguing  with  the  Jews  was  very  like 
Christ's  ;  his  praying  for  his  enemies  with  his  dying  breath  nearly 
in  the  same  words  as  the  Saviour,  and  his  recommending  his 
soul  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  were  in  the  same  spirit 
of  confidence  as  that  in  which  Christ  said,  '*  Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  it 
was  by  looking  unto  Jesus  that  he  became  thus  Christ-like  ;  and 
the  last  view  which  he  got  of  Christ  seems  especially  to  have 
given  him  that  heavenly  composure  in  dying,  which  is  so  much 
above  nature. 

Two  things  are  to  be  noticed: — 1,  That  it  was  a  sight  of 
Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  2.  That  it  was  a  sight  of 
Christ  standing  there.  Christ  being  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
is  mentioned  sixteen  times  in  the  Bible  ;  thirteen  times  he  is 
described  as  seated  there  ;  twice  as  being  there ;  but  here  only  is 
he  spoken  of  as  standing.  This  appears  to  have  made  a  deep  and 
lively  impression  on  the  mind  of  Stephen,  for  he  cries  out,  "  Be- 
hold, I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  Man  standing  on 
the  right  hand  of  God  ;"  and  then,  with  a  sweet  assurance  that 
Christ's  hands  were  stretched  out  to  receive  him,  he  cried,"  Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

Doctrine. — Since  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  since 
he  rises  up  to  receive  the  dying  believer,  believers  should  com- 
mend their  spirit  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 

I.  If  Christ  he  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  believer's  sins  must 
he  pardoned,  so  that  he  can  peacefully  say,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit."  If  the  grave  had  closed  over  the  head  of  Christ  forever, 
if  the  stone  had  remained  at  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre  to  this 
day,  then  we  might  well  be  in  doubt  whether  he  had  suffered 
enough  in  the  stead  of  sinners.  "  If  Christ  be  not  risen,  your 
faith  is  vain,  you  are  yet  in  your  sins."     But  is  it  true  that  Christ 


SERMON    LIII.  307 

is  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ?  then  the  stone  has  been  rolled 
away  from  the  sepulchre.  God  has  let  him  go  free  from  the 
curse  that  was  laid  on  him.  The  justice  of  God  is  quite  satis- 
fied. If  you  saw  a  criminal  put  into  prison,  and  the  prison  doors 
closed  behind  him,  and  if  you  never  saw  him  come  out  again, 
then  you  might  well  believe  that  he  was  still  lying  in  prison, 
and  still  enduring  the  just  sentence  of  the  law  ;  but  if  you  saw 
the  prison  doors  fly  open,  and  the  prisoner  going  free,  if  you  saw 
him  walking  at  large  in  the  streets,  then  you  would  know  at  once 
that  he  had  satisfied  the  justice  of  his  country,  that  he  had  suffered 
all  that  it  was  needful  to  suffer,  that  he  had  paid  the  uttermost 
farthing.  So  with  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  he  was  counted  a  criminal, 
the  crimes  of  guilty  sinners  against  God  were  all  laid  at  his  door, 
and  he  was  condemned  on  account  of  them.  He  was  hurried 
away  to  the  death  of  the  cross,  and  the  gloomy  prison-house  of 
his  rocky  sepulchre,  the  stone  was  rolled  to  the  mouth  of  the 
grave.  If  you  never  saw  him  come  outj  then  you  might  well 
believe  that  he  was  still  enduring  the  just  sentence  of  the  law. 
But,  lo !  *'  he  is  risen,  he  is  not  here,"  "  Christ  is  risen  indeed." 
God,  who  was  his  judge,  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set 
him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places ;  so  that  you 
may  be  quite  sure  he  has  satisfied  the  justice  of  God.  He  has 
suffered  everything  that  it  was  needful  for  him  to  suffer,  he 
has  paid  the  uttermost  farthing.  Now  is  there  any  of  you  hear- 
ing me,  who  cleaves  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  is  this  the  Saviour  whom 
you  take  to  be  your  surety  ?  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are 
forgiven  thee."  For  if  your  surety  is  free,  then  you  are  free.  It 
was  this  which  gave  such  a  tranquil  peace  to  the  dying  Stephen. 
He  had  the  same  vile  nature  which  you  have,  he  had  committed 
the  same  sins  as  you  have,  he  had  the  same  condemnation 
over  him  which  you  have  ;  but  when  he  saw  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
he  had  taken  as  his  surety,  standing  free  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  then  he  felt  that  the  condemnation  had  been  already  borne, 
that  God's  anger  was  quite  turned  away  from  his  soul ;  and  thus 
being  inwardly  persuaded  of  pardon,  he  committed  his  spirit  into 
the  hand  of  Christ  :  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

Oh !  brethren,  cleave  to  the  same  Lord  Jesus ;  he  is  still  as  free  as 
he  was  when  Stephen  died.  He  always  will  be  free  ;  death  hath 
no  more  power  over  him  ;  for  he  hath  suffered  all.  Take  him  as 
your  surety ;  cleave  to  him  as  your  Saviour,  and  you  may  this 
day  have  the  same  peace  that  Stephen  had,  and  may  die  with  the 
same  peaceful  breast,  saying  :  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

II.  //■  Christ  he  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  then  the  believer  is 
accepted  with  God,  and  may  peacefully  say  with  Stephen :  '■'•Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

The  Son  of  God  came  to  be  a  surety  for  men  in  two  respects : 
1.  In  suffering  the  wrath  which  they  deserved  to  suffer ;  and,  2. 


308  SERMON    LIII. 

In  rendering  the  obedience  which  men  had  neglected  to  render. 
If  he  stood  as  surety  in  suffering,  then  every  dying  sinner  that 
cleaved  to  him  was  to  be  freed  from  the  curse  of  God.  If  he 
stood  as  surety  in  obeying,  then  he  and  every  sinner  that  cleaved 
to  him  was  to  be  rewarded  with  a  place  in  glory.  Now  if  Christ 
had  not  risen  from  the  dead,  then  it  would  have  been  manifest  that 
God  had  not  accepted  his  obedience  as  worthy  of  eternal  life. 
But  if  Christ  is  risen,  and  not  only  so,  but  if  he  be  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  the  place  of  highest  glory  in  heaven,  where  are 
pleasures  for  evermore,  then  I  am  quite  sure  that  God  is  satisfied 
with  Christ  as  a  surety  for  man.  If  you  saw  some  peer  of  the 
realm  sent  away  by  the  king  upon  a  distant  and  hazardous  under- 
taking, with  the  promise  that,  if  he  succeeded,  he  should  be  ad- 
vanced to  the  seat  nearest  the  throne — if  you  never  saw  that  peer 
return  to  claim  his  reward,  then  you  would  say  at  once  that  he 
had  failed  in  his  undertaking.  But  if  you  saw  him  return,  amid 
the  applause  of  assembled  multitudes,  and  if  you  saw  him  received 
into  the  palace  of  the  king,  and  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  ma- 
jesty, then  you  would  say  at  once  that  he  had  succeeded  in  that 
which  he  undertook,  and  that  the  king  upon  the  throne  was  well 
pleased  with  it. 

Just  so,  dear  brethren,  if  you  had  been  in  heaven  on  that  most 
wonderful  day  that  ever  was,  of  which  the  Christian  Sabbath  is 
an  ever-enduring  monument,  when  Christ  ascended  to  his  Father 
and  our  Father,  had  you  seen  the  smile  of  ineffable  complacency 
wherewith  God  received  back  into  glory  the  surety  of  men,  say- 
ing :  "  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee  ;"  as  if  he 
said,  "Never  til!  this  day  did  I  see  thee  so  worthy  to  be  called 
my  Son ;"  and  again,  "  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thy 
enemies  thy  footstool,"  had  you  seen  all  this,  then  you  would  have 
known  how  excellent  the  obedience  of  Christ  is  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Father.  But  all  this  obedience  was  endured,  not  for  himself,  but 
as  a  surety  for  men.  He  was  accepted  himself  before  he  left 
heaven.  He  was  infinitely  near  and  dear  to  the  Father,  and  did 
not  need  to  become  man,  to  obey  for  himself.  Everything  that 
Jesus  Christ  did  or  suffered  was  as  a  surety  in  the  stead  of  sin- 
ners. Do  you  take  him  for  your  surety  ?  Do  you  cleave  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  because  you  have  nothing  of  your  own  to  recommend 
you  to  God  ?  Then  look  up  with  the  eye  of  faith,  and  see  him  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  If  you  cleave  to  him,  you  are  as  much 
accepted  with  God  as  Christ  is,  you  are  as  near  to  God  as  your 
surety  is.  Ah !  it  was  this  that  gave  the  dying  Stephen  such 
calm  tranquilUty.  He  had  the  same  vile  nature  that  you  have, 
he  had  as  little  obedience  to  God  as  you  have,  he  was  a  naked 
sinner  as  you  are ;  but  he  took  the  Lord  Jesus  to  be  his  surety, 
the  man  in  his  stead ;  so  that,  when  he  saw  him  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  he  felt  that  Christ  was  accepted,  and  that  he,  also,  was 
accepted  in  the  Beloved.     And  thus  being  inwardly  persuaded 


SERMON   LIII.  309 

that  in  Christ  he  had  a  safe  way  to  the  Father,  he  cried,  with  dy- 
ing breath,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

Oh  !  trembling,  naked  sinner,  cleave  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  is 
as  much  offered  to  you  as  he  was  to  Stephen.  Take  him  as  your 
surety — cleave  to  him  as  your  Saviour,  and  you  may  this  day 
have  the  same  sense  of  acceptance  which  Stephen  had,  and  you 
may  die  with  the  same  sweetly  confiding  cry  :  "  Lord  Jesus,  re- 
ceive my  spirit." 

in.  If  Christ  stands  up  to  receive  the  dying  believer,  this  gives 
the  believer  great  confidence,  so  that  he  may  peacefully  say  :  "  Loi^d 
Jesus,  receive  my  Spirit." 

When  believing  souls  seek  for  peace  and  joy  in  believing,  they 
do  very  generally  confine  their  view  to  Christ  upon  the  earth. 
They  remember  him  as  the  good  Shepherd  seeking  the  lost  sheep ; 
they  look  to  him  sitting  by  the  well  of  Samaria  ;  they  remember 
him  saying  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy :  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee  ;"  but  they  too  seldom  think  of  looking  where 
Stephen  looked — to  where  Jesus  is  now — at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
Now,  my  friends,  remember  if  you  would  be  whole  Christians, 
you  must  look  to  a  whole  Christ ;  you  must  lift  your  eye  from  the 
cross  to  the  throne,  and  you  will  find  him  the  same  Saviour  in 
all — "  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever."  I  have 
already  observed,  that  wherever  Christ  is  mentioned  as  being  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  he  is  spoken  of  as  seated  there  upon  his 
throne ;  here,  and  here  only,  are  we  told  that  he  is  standing.  In 
other  places  he  is  described  as  enjoying  his  glory,  and  entered 
into  his  rest ;  but  here  he  is  described  as  risen  from  his  throne, 
and  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

L  He  rises  to  intercede  :  *' He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost 
all  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercession for  them."  How  often  would  a  believer  be  a  cast- 
away, if  it  were  not  for  the  jgreat  intercessor  !  How  often  faith 
fails  ! — "  flesh  and  heart  faint  and  fail ;"  but  see  here,  Christ  never 
fails.  On  the  death-bed,  often  the  mind  is  taken  oflf  the  Saviour, 
by  pains  of  body,  and  distress  of  mind ;  but,  oh  !  happy  soul  that 
has  truly  accepted  Christ.  See  here,  he  rises  from  his  throne  to 
pray  for  you,  when  you  cannot  pray  for  yourself.  Look  up 
to  him  with  the  eye  of  faith,  and  cry  :  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit." 

2.  He  rises  to  defend. — (L)  The  world  is  a  sore  enemy  to  the 
believer — by  temptation  on  the  one  hand,  and  persecution  on  the 
other.  Oh  !  how  hard  it  strives  to  cast  him  down.  Happy  be- 
liever, you  are  safe  in  a  dying  hour  !  1st.  Because  the  world 
cannot  reach  beyond  death.  The  sneering  tongue  cannot  spit  its 
venom  beyond  the  grave.  The  stone  of  violence  may  kill  the 
body,  but  it  hath  no  more  that  it  can  do.  2d.  Even  if  it  were  pos- 
sible that  some  arrow  of  the  world  might  reach  beyond  the  grave 


310  SERMON    LIII. 

Jesus  hath  risen  up  to  defend.  His  everlasting  arms  arc  under- 
neath the  departing  soul.  (2.)  The  devil  is  a  worse  enemy  in 
that  hour.  He  stands  close  by  the  dying  bed.  He  often  molests, 
but  he  cannot  destroy,  if  you  be  cleaving  to  Jesus.  Christ  has  all 
power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  he  rises  up  to  defend  your  soul. 
"  Be  not  afraid,"  he  says,  "  it  is  I."  Ah  !  dear  brethren,  cleave  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  now,  if  you  would  have  him  to  stand  up  for  you 
in  a  dying  hour — if  you  would  cry  with  confidence  :  "  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit." 

3,  He  rises  to  receive  the  departing  soul. — This  is  the  sweetest 
of  all  comforts  to  the  godly.  It  is  a  sweet  thought,  that  the  holy 
angels  are  waiting  to  receive  the  believing  soul.  When  Lazarus 
died,  the  good  angels  carried  him  into  Abraham's  bosom.  But, 
oh  !  it  is  sweeter  far,  to  think  that  Jesus  looks  down  upon  the 
dying  bed,  and  stands  up  to  receive  the  soul  that  loves  him. 

Oh  !  dear  bz'ethi'en,  he  is  the  same  kind  Saviour  in  death  that  he 
is  through  life.  (1.)  Once  you  lived  without  prayer — without  God 
— without  Christ,  in  the  world ;  did  Christ  not  stretch  out  the 
hands  all  the  day,  even  then?  (2.)  Once  you  were  lying  under 
convictions  of  sin ;  you  felt  yourself  worthy  of  hell,  and  that  God 
would  be  just  if  he  never  had  mercy  on  your  soul ;  did  not  Christ 
draw  near  to  your  soul,  saying:  "  Peace  be  unto  you  V  (3.)  Again, 
you  were  groaning  under  the  power  of  temptation,  crying  against 
indwelling  sin  :  "  O  wretched  man  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the 
body  of  this  death  ?"  did  not  Christ  draw  near  and  say :  "  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee ;  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness ?"  (4.)  Once  more :  you  may  yet  groan  under  the  weight 
of  dying  agonies.  The  last  enemy  is  death — it  may  be  a  hard 
struggle — it  may  be  a  dark  valley  ;  yet  loDk  where  Stephen 
looked ;  and,  lo  !  Jesus  is  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  wait- 
ing to  receive  you  to  himself.  Oh  !  sweet  death,  when  God  is  with 
you,  the  Spirit  within  you,  and  Christ  waiting  to  receive  you. 
Behold  !  he  stretches  out  his  hands  to  receive  your  departing 
spirit.  Breathe  it  into  his  hand,  saying,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit." 

1.  Learn  that  death  is  no  death  to  the  Christian:  "He  that 
liveth  and  bclicveth  on  me,  shall  never  die."  It  is  only  giving  the 
soul  into  the  hand  of  Christ.     He  knows  its  value  ;  for  he  died  for  it. 

2.  Learn  that  to  die  is,  to  the  believer,  better  than  to  live.  If 
Christ  rises  up  to  receive  the  soul,  then  the  soul  goes  to  be  with 
Jesus.  But  to  be  with  Christ,  is  to  be  in  glory ;  therefore  it  is  far 
better.  Oh!  be  willing.  Christians,  to  be  absent  from  the  body, 
and  present  with  the  Lord.  There  you  shall  be  free  from  pain 
of  persecuting  stones ;  no  more  sneering,  cruel  friends,  no  more 
doubts  about  your  soul,  no  more  sin  within  your  heart.  "  Oh,  that 
I  had  the  wings  of  a  dove,  that  I  might  Jlee  away  and  be  at  rest !" 

S.  Learn  the  dreadfulness  of  having  no  interest  in  Jesus  Christ. 
You  must  die ;  and  yet,  how  will  you  die,  poor  Christless  soul  ? 


SERMON    LIV.  311 

To  whom  will  you  commend  your  dying  spirit?  (1.)  There  will 
be  no  good  angels  waiting  round  your  bed ;  no  gentle  hands  of 
ministering  spirits  stretched  out  to  receive  your  trembling  soul. 
(2.)  You  will  have  no  Christ  rising  up  to  receive  you.  You  never 
washed  in  his  blood ;  you  would  not  come  to  him  to  have  life ;  he 
often  stretched  out  the  hands,  but  you  pushed  them  away ;  and 
now  he  will  have  no  pity  for  you.  (3.)  You  will  have  no  God ; 
God  will  not  be  your  God ;  he  will  not  be  your  friend  ;  you  have 
always  been  his  enemy.  Your  proud  heart  will  not  be  reconciled 
to  him  ;  and  now  you  will  find  him  an  enemy  indeed. 

Where  will  you  go  ?  Die  you  must.  Your  breath  must  cease. 
These  eyes  that  look  on  me  this  day,  must  close  in  death ;  that 
heart  you  feel  beating  in  your  bosom,  must  cease  to  beat.  And 
what  will  you  do  with  your  soul  ?  to  whom  will  you  commend  it, 
a  naked,  guilty,  shivering  thing,  with  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on 
it?  None  of  the  angels  will  dare  to  shelter  it.  No  rocks,  or 
caves,  or  mountains,  can  hide  it.  Hell  itself  will  not  be  a  hiding- 
place  from  the  just  wrath  of  God.  Oh  !  be  wise  now :  '•  Turn  ye, 
turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?" 

4.  Learn,  if  you  have  lost  any  friends  in  Christ,  to  be  comforted 
over  them.  It  is  true  they  are  gone  from  you  ;  but  remember 
they  have  gone  into  far  tenderer  hands.  You  stood  up  to  bend 
over  their  dying  body ;  but  the  Lord  Jesus  stood  up  to  receive 
their  undying  soul.  Your  feeble,  but  affectionate  hands,  were 
stretched  out  to  smoothe  their  dying  pillow  ;  but  the  Almighty 
hands  of  the  Saviour  formed  a  sweeter,  softer  bed  for  their  depart- 
ing soul.  Follow  their  faith ;  look  to  the  same  Saviour ;  and 
when  you  come  to  die,  you  will  use  the  same  sweet  words:  "  Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

St.  Peter's,  Dundee,  Aug.  13,  1837. 


SERMON  LIV. 


TIME  IS  SHORT. 


"  But  this  I  say,  brethren,  the  time  is  short :  it  remaineth,  that  both  they  that  have 
wives  be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that  weep,  as  though  they  wept  not, 
and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not ;  and  they  that  buy,  as  though 
they  possessed  not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it :  for  the  fash- 
ion of  this  world  passeth  away." — 1  Cor.  vii.,  29-31. 

In  this  chapter  the  apostle  is  discoursing  concerning  marriage. 
The  mind  of  God  upon  this  subject  seems  to  be,  1.  That  in  ordi- 
nary times  marriage  is  Jionorahle  in  all,  provided  it  he  in  the  Lord. 
There  are   some  who   seem  to   imagine   that  there  is   peculiar 


312  SERMON    LIV. 

holiness  about  an  unmarried  life ;  but  this  seems  quite  contrary  to 
the  Word  of  God.  In  the  sinless  world,  before  man  fell,  God 
said  :  "  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone  ;"  and  the  closest  walker 
with  God  in  Old  Testament  times  was  a  married  man  Enoch 
walked  with  God  three  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. 2.  That  in  a  time  of  distress  and  trouble  to  the  Church  it  is 
better  not  to  marry  :  "  I  suppose  therefore  that  this  is  good,  for  the 
present  distress."  Verse  26.  When  the  ark  of  God  is  in  danger, 
as  at  present  in  our  Church,  it  seems  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  that 
all  who  can,  should  keep  themselves  as  much  as  possible  disen- 
tangled from  earthly  engagements.  When  the  wife  of  Phinehas 
heard  that  the  ark  of  God  was  taken,  she  travailed  in  birth,  and 
died,  calling  her  child  Ichabod,  The  glory  is  departed.  So,  bre- 
thren, it  does  not  become  those  who  love  Zion  to  be  marrying  and 
giving  in  marriage  when  the  ark  of  God  is  in  danger.  3.  That 
even  in  such  times  it  is  lawful  to  marry :  "  But  and  if  thou  marry, 
thou  hast  not  sinned."  Verse  28.  I  doubt  not,  brethren,  the  days 
are  near  when  they  shall  say :  "  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the 
wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  paps  that  never  gave  suck."  Still, 
if  any  will  venture  to  meet  these  times,  and  if  you  think  the  faith 
of  two  may  bear  you  up  better  than  the  faith  of  one,  "  /  spare 
you."     I  would  lay  no  snare  upon  you.     You  have  not  sinned. 

Having  opened  up  this  subject,  the  apostle  proceeds  with  this 
affecting  statement,  suitable  to  all,  married  or  unmarried :  "  But 
this  I  say,  brethren,  the  time  is  short ;  it  remaineth,  that  both  they 
that  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that  weep, 
as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they 
rejoiced  not ;  and  they  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not ; 
and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it ;  for  the  fashion  of 
this  world  passeth  away."  In  these  words  there  is — 1.  A  state- 
ment made  :  "  The  time  is  short ;"  and,  again  :  "  The  fashion  of 
this  world  passeth  away."  The  time  to  be  spent  in  this  world  is 
very  short ;  it  is  but  an  inch  of  time — a  short  half-hour.  In  a  very 
little,  it  will  be  all  over  ;  and  all  that  is  here  is  changing — the  very 
hills  arc  crumbling  down ;  the  loveliest  face  is  withering  away ; 
the  finest  garments  rot  and  decay :  "  The  fashion  of  this  world 
passeth  away."  2.  A  lesson  drawn  from  this.  Believers  should 
sit  loose  to  everything  here.  Believers  should  look  on  everything 
in  the  light  of  eternity — value  nothing  any  more  than  you  will  do 
then.  Sit  loose  to  the  objects,  griefs,  joys,  occupations  of  this 
world  ;  for  you  must  soon  change  them  lor  eternal  realities. 

Doctrine. — The  shortness  of  time  should  make  believers  sit 
loose  to  all  things  under  the  sun. 

I.  Show  the  shortness  of  time.     True  in  two  respects. 

1.  The  time  a  believer  has  to  live  in  this  world  is  very  short.  (1.) 
The  whole  lifetime  is  very  short.  From  the  cradle  to  the  grave  is 
but  a  short  journey :  "  The  days  of  our  years  are  threescore 


SERMON   LIV.  313 

years  and  ten ;  and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  fourscore 
years,  yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorrow ;  for  it  is  soon  cut 
off,  and  we  fly  away."  The  half  of  men  die  before  the  age  of 
twenty.  Even  when  men  lived  for  many  hundred  years,  it  was 
but  a  short  life — a  moment,  compared  to  eternity.  Methuselah 
lived  nine  hundred  and  sixty-nine  years,  and  he  died.  Men  are 
short-lived,  like  the  grass.  "All  flesh  is  as  grass  ;"  and  the  rich 
and  beautiful  are  like  the  flower  of  the  field — a  little  fairer  and 
more  delicate.  "  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth  ;  because 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon  it." — Isa.  xl.,  7.  "For  what 
is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  time, 
and  then  vanisheth  away." — James  iv.,  14.  You  know  how 
swiftly  a  weaver's  shuttle  flies  ;  but  your  life  flies  more  swiftly  : 
"  My  days  are  swifter  than  a  weaver's  shuttle." — Job  vii.,  6. 
"  My  days  are  swifter  than  a  post ;  they  are  passed  away  as  the 
swift  ships  ;  as  the  eagle  that  hastelh  to  the  prey." — Job  ix.,  25, 26. 
(2.)  How  much  is  already  passed  away.  Most  believers  spend 
their  first  days  in  sin.  Many  hearing  me  gave  their  best  days  to 
sin  and  the  world.  Many  among  you  have  only  the  lame,  and 
the  torn,  and  the  sick,  to  give  to  God.  All  of  you  can  look  on  the 
past  as  a  sleep,  or  as  a  tale  that  is  told.  The  time  since  I  came 
among  you  appears  to  me  just  like  a  dream.  (3.)  What  remains 
is  all  numbered.  All  of  you  hearing  me  have  your  Sabbaths  num- 
bered— the  number  of  sermons  you  are  to  hear.  The  last  one  is 
already  fixed  upon.  Your  years  are  numbered.  To  many  this  is 
the  last  year  they  shall  ever  see  in  this  world.  Many  will  cele- 
brate their  next  new  year  in  glory.  The  disease  is  now  in  the 
body  of  many  of  you  that  is  to  lay  you  in  the  dust ;  and  your 
grave  is  already  marked  out.  In  a  little  while  you  will  be  lying 
quietly  there.     Yes,  dear  brethren,  "  the  time  is  short." 

2.  The  time  of  this  irorld's  continuance  is  short :  "  The  end  of 
all  things  is  at  hand." — "  The  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 
away."  A  believer  stands  on  a  watch-tower — things  present  are 
below  his  feet — things  eternal  are  before  his  eyes.  A  little  while, 
brethren,  and  the  day  of  grace  will  he  over ;  preaching,  praying 
will  be  done.  Soon  we  shall  give  over  wrestling  with  an  unbe- 
lieving world — soon  the  number  of  believers  shall  be  complete, 
and  the  sky  shall  open  over  our  heads,  and  Christ  shall  come. 
His  parting  cry  was  :  "  Surely,  I  come  quickly."  Then  we  shall 
see  him  "  whom,  having  not  seen,  we  loved."  A  little  while,  and 
we  shall  stand  before  the  great  white  throne — a  little  while,  and 
the  wicked  shall  not  be  ;  we  shall  see  them  going  away  into  evei'- 
lasting  punishment — a  little  while,  and  the  M'ork  of  eternity  shall 
be  begun.  We  shall  be  like  him,  we  shall  see  him  day  and  night 
in  his  temple,  we  shall  sing  the  new  song,  without  sin  and  without 
weariness,  for  ever  and  ever.  In  a  little  moment,  brethren,  all 
this  shall  be :  "  For  a  small  moment  have  I  hid  my  face  from 
thee  ;  but  with  everlasting  mercies  will  I  gather  thee." 


314  SERMON    LIV. 

II.  The  believer  should  learn  from  this  to  sit  loose  to  all  things 
under  the  sun. 

1.  To  the  dearest  objects  of  this  world :  "It  remaineth,  there- 
fore, tlmt  they  who  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none." 
Marriage  is  honorable  in  all.  Husbands  should  love  their  wives, 
even  as  Christ  loved  the  Church  :  '•  So  ought  men  to  love  their 
wives  as  their  own  bodies."  Still  it  must  not  be  idolatry.  A 
married  believer  should  be,  in  some  respects,  as  if  he  were 
unmarried,  as  if  he  had  no  wife.  "  Honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother,  that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  giveth  thee."  You  cannot  be  too  kind,  too  gentle,  too 
loving,  to  the  parents  whom  God  has  given  you  ;  yet  be  as  though 
you  had  none.  Parents,  love  your  children,  and  bring  them  up  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ;  yet  feel  that  the  time  is 
short.  They  are  only  a  loan  from  the  Lord.  Be  not  surprised 
if  he  take  his  own.  Esteem  your  ministers  highly  in  love,  for 
their  work's  sake  ;  yet  be  as  if  you  had  none.  Lean  as  entirely 
on  Christ  as  if  you  had  never  seen  nor  heard  a  minister.  Brainerd 
mentions  an  instance  of  one  woman,  who,  after  her  conversion, 
was  resigned  to  the  divine  will  in  the  most  tender  points :  "  What 
if  God  should  take  away  your  husband  from  you,  how  do  you 
think  you  would  bear  that?"  She  replied,  "He  belongs  to  God, 
and  not  to  me ;  he  may  do  with  him  just  what  he  pleases." 
When  she  longed  to  die  to  be  free  from  sin,  she  was  asked  what 
would  become  of  her  infant ;  she  answered,  "  God  will  take  care 
of  it ;  it  belongs  to  him,  he  will  take  care  of  it."  Rutherford  says, 
"  Build  your  nest  upon  no  tree  here  ;  for  you  see  God  hath  sold 
the  forest  to  Death,  and  every  tree  whereon  we  would  rest  is 
ready  to  be  cut  down,  to  the  end  we  may  flee  and  mount  up,  and 
build  upon  the  rock,  and  dwell  in  the  holes  of  the  rock."  Set  not 
your  heart  on  the  flowers  of  this  world  ;  for  they  have  all  a 
canker  in  them.  Prize  the  Rose  of  Sharon  and  the  Lily  of  the 
Valley  more  than  all ;  for  he  changeth  not.  Live  nearer  to 
Christ  than  to  the  saints,  so  that  when  they  are  taken  from  you, 
you  may  have  him  to  lean  on  still. 

2.  Sit  loose  to  the  griefs  of  this  world.  They  that  weep  should 
be  as  though  they  wept  not.  This  world  is  the  vale  of  tears. 
There  are  always  some  mourning.  No  sooner  is  the  tear  dried 
up  on  one  cheek  than  it  trickles  down  another.  No  sooner 
docs  one  widow  lay  aside  her  weeds,  than  another  takes  them  up. 
Those  that  are  in  Christ  should  weep  as  though  they  wept  not ; 
"  for  the  time  is  short."  Do  you  weep  over  those  that  died  in  the 
Lord  ?  It  is  right  to  weep ;  "  Jesus  wept."  Yet  "  weep  as 
though  you  wept  not ;"  for  "  the  time  is  short."  They  are  not  lost, 
but  gone  before.  The  sun,  when  it  sets,  is  not  lost ;  it  is  gone  to 
shine  in  another  hemisphere ;  and  so  have  they  gone  to  shine  in  a 
brighter  world.  It  is  self-love  that  makes  you  mourn  for  them  ; 
for  they  are  happy.     You  would  not  mourn  if  they  were  with  a 


SERMON    LIV.  315 

distant  friend  on  earth,  why  do  you  mourn  that  they  are  with  the 
sinner's  friend  ?  "  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any 
more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  upon  them,  nor  any  heat ;  for  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
shall  lead  them  unto  fountains  of  living  waters ;  and  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." — Rev.  vii.,  16,  17.  "The 
time  is  short ;"  and  you  will  follow  after.  A  few  days,  and  you 
may  be  leaning  together  on  the  bosom  of  Jesus ;  you  arc  nearer 
them  to-day  than  you  were  yesterday.  "  The  time  is  short ;"  and 
you  will  meet  with  all  the  redeemed  at  the  right  hand  of  Christ, 
we  shall  mingle  our  voices  in  the  new  song,  and  wave  together 
the  eternal  palm  !     "  Weep  as  though  you  wept  not." 

Do  you  weep  over  those  that  died  out  of  the  Lord  ?  Ah  ! 
there  is  deeper  cause  for  weeping  here  ;  and  yet  the  time  is  short, 
when  all  this  will  be  explained  to  you,  and  you  will  not  be  able  to 
shed  a  tear  over  the  lost.  A  little  while,  and  you  will  see  Jesus 
fully  glorified,  and  you  will  not  be  able  to  wish  anything  different 
from  what  has  happened.  When  Aaron  lost  his  two  sons,  he  held 
his  peace. 

Do  you  mourn  over  bodily  pain,  and  poverty,  and  sickness,  and 
the  troubles  of  the  world '(  Do  not  murmur  :  "  The  time  is 
short."  If  you  have  believed  in  Christ,  these  are  all  the  hell  you 
will  ever  bear.  Think  you  the  dying  thief  would  complain  of  his 
pains  when  he  was  within  a  step  of  paradise  ?  So  it  is  with  you. 
Your  hell  is  dried  up,  and  you  have  only  these  two  shallow 
brooks  to  pass  through,  sickness  and  death  ;  and  you  have  a 
promise  that  Christ  shall  do  more  than  meet  you,  go  with  you, 
foot  for  foot,  and  bear  you  in  his  arms.  Wlicn  we  get  to  the 
presence  of  Jesus,  all  our  griefs  shall  look  like  children's  griefs,  a 
day  in  his  presence  will  make  you  remember  your  miseries  no 
more.     Wherefore  take  courage,  and  run  with  patience. 

3.   To  the  enjoyments  of  this  world. 

It  is  quite  right  for  a  believer  to  use  the  things  of  this  world, 
and  to  rejoice  in  them.  None  has  such  a  right  as  the  believer  has 
to  rejoice  and  be  happy.  He  has  a  right  to  use  the  bodily  com- 
forts of  this  world  ;  to  eat  his  meat  "  with  gladness  and  singleness 
of  heart,  praising  God."  He  has  a  right  to  all  the  joys  of  home, 
and  kindred,  and  friendship.  It  is  highly  proper  that  he  should 
enjoy  these  things.  He  has  a  right  to  all  the  pure  pleasures  of 
mind,  of  intellect,  and  imagination  ;  for  God  has  given  him  all 
things  richly  to  enjoy.  Still,  he  should  "rejoice  as  though  he  re- 
joiced not,  and  use  this  world  as  not  abusing  it ;"  for  "  the  time 
is  short."  In  a  little  while,  you  will  be  at  your  Father's  table 
above,  drinking  the  wine  new  with  Christ.  You  will  meet  with 
all  your  bi>others  and  sisters  in  Christ ;  you  will  have  pure  joy  in 
God  through  ceaseless  ages.  Do  not  be  much  taken  with  the  joys 
that  are  here.  I  have  noticed  children  when  they  were  going  out 
to  a  feast,  they  would  eat  but  sparingly,  that  they  might  have  a 


316  SERMON   LIV. 

keener  appetite  for  the  coming  dainties  ;  so,  dear  friends,  you  are 
going  to  a  feast  above,  do  not  dull  your  appetite  with  earthly  joys, 
sit  loosely  to  them  all,  look  upon  them  all  as  fading.  As  you  walk 
through  a  flower  garden,  you  never  think  of  lying  down,  to  make 
your  home  among  its  roses  ;  so,  pass  through  the  garden  of  this 
world's  best  joys.  Smell  the  flowers  in  passing  ;  but  do  not  tarry. 
Jesus  calls  you  to  his  banqueting  house ;  there  you  will  feed 
among  the  lilies  on  the  mountains  of  spices.  Oh  I  it  ill  becomes  a 
child  of  God  to  be  fond  of  an  earthly  banquet,  when  you  are  look- 
ing to  sitting  down  so  soon  with  Jesus ;  it  ill  becomes  you  to  be 
much  taken  up  with  dress  and  show,  when  you  are  so  soon  to  see 
the  face  that  was  crowned  with  thorns.  Brethren,  if  you  are  ever 
so  much  taken  up  with  any  enjoyment  that  it  takes  away  your 
love  for  prayer  or  for  your  Bible,  or  that  it  would  frighten  you  to 
hear  the  cry :  "  The  Bridegroom  cometh  ;"  and  you  would  say : 
Is  he  come  already  ?  then  you  are  abusing  this  world.  Oh  !  sit 
loose  to  this  world's  joy  :  "  The  time  is  short." 

4.  To  the  occupations  of  the  world.  It  is  right  for  Christians  to 
be  diligent  in  business.  1  often  wonder  how  unconverted  souls 
can  be  so  busy  ;  how,  when  you  are  bustling  along,  filling  up  all 
your  time  with  worldly  things,  it  never  occurs  to  you  that  there 
will  be  none  of  this  in  eternity.  How  can  I  be  so  busy  for  my 
body,  when  my  poor  soul  is  unprovided  for  ?  But  those  in  Christ 
may  well  be  diligent.  (1.)  They  have  good  conscience  ;  that  oils 
the  wheels.  "  A  merry  heart  doeth  good  like  a  medicine."  A 
light  heart  makes  easy  work.  (2.)  They  love  to  honor  their 
Lord.  They  would  not  have  it  said  that  a  believer  in  Jesus  was 
an  idler  or  a  sluggard ;  the  love  of  Jesus  constrains  them  to  all 
that  is  lovely.  And  yet  a  believer  should  buy  as  though  he  pos- 
sessed not ;"  for  "  the  time  is  short."  Oh  !  believers,  ye  cannot  be 
misers ;  for  you  are  but  stewards.  All  that  you  possess  here  is 
your  Lord's  ;  and  the  day  is  at  hand  when  he  will  transfer  you  to 
take  care  of  another  property  in  a  brighter  land.  You  are  but 
servants.  It  would  not  do  if  you  were  to  set  your  hearts  on  the 
things  of  this  lower  room  ;  for  in  a  few  days  the  Master  is  to  call 
you  to  serve  in  his  own  dear  presence.  Dear  believers,  be  ready 
to  leave  your  loom  for  the  golden  harp,  at  a  minute's  warning  ;  be 
ready  to  leave  your  desk  for  the  throne  of  Jesus  ;  your  pen  for 
the  palm  of  victory  ;  be  ready  to  leave  the  market  below,  for  the 
street  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  where  the  redeemed  shall  walk.  If 
you  were  in  a  sinking  ship,  you  would  not  cling  hard  to  bags  of 
money  ;  you  would  sit  loose  to  all,  and  be  ready  to  swim.  This 
world  is  like  a  sinking  ship,  and  those  who  grasp  at  its  possessions 
will  sink  with  it.  Oh  !  "  buy  as  though  you  possessed  not ;"  for 
"  the  time  is  short." 

III.   What  the  unconverted  should  learn  from  the  shortness  of 
time. 


SERMON    LIV,  317 

1,  Your  folly  in  losing  the  past.  Although  life  be  very  short, 
it  is  all  saving  time.  This  is  the  reason  for  which  God  has  given 
it  to  us.  The  long-suffering  of  God  is  intended  for  our  salvation. 
God  gives  men  time  to  hear  the  Gospel,  to  pray,  to  get  saving 
conversion.  But  unconverted  souls  have  wasted  all  the  past. 
Think  how  much  time  you  have  lost  in  idleness.  How  many 
golden  opportunities  for  prayer,  and  hearing  the  Word,  and  medi- 
tation, have  you  lost !  how  much  time  have  you  spent  uselessly  in 
your  bed,  or  idle  talk,  or  in  loitering  about  your  doors  !  If  you 
saw  how  short  your  time  is,  and  how  death  and  hell  are  pursuing 
you,  you  would  have  fled  to  Christ ;  but  you  have  not.  Think 
how  much  you  have  spent  in  sin,  at  the  tavern,  or  in  vain  com- 
pany, or  in  dances,  or  in  night  walking,  or  in  sins  of  which  it  is  a 
shame  even  to  speak.  God  gave  you  time  for  saving  your  soul, 
and  you  have  spent  it  in  ruining  your  soul.  God  gave  you  time 
to  flee  to  Christ,  and  you  have  spent  it  in  fleeing  towards  hell. 
Think  how  much  time  you  have  spent  in  business  without  one 
thought  for  eternity.  Think  how  you  have  lost  your  best  time. 
Youth  is  your  best  time  for  being  saved.  Many  of  you  have  lost 
it.  Time  of  awakening.  Sabbaths,  holy  time,  years  of  Sabbaths 
have  now  gone  over  many  of  you.  "  The  harvest  is  past,  the 
summer  is  ended  ;  and  we  are  not  saved," 

2.  Consider  what  value  they  put  on  tiine  who  are  now  in  hell. 
— Once,  brethren,  they  cared  as  little  for  it  as  you ;  once,  they 
could  see  their  years  pass  away  without  caring ;  and  they 
could  let  their  Sabbaths  slip  away  ;  but  now  they  see  their  folly. 
What  would  they  now  give,  brethren,  for  such  an  opportunity  as 
you  have  this  day  ?  What  would  they  give  for  another  year  of 
grace,  for  another  week,  for  another  day  ?  It  is  probable  that 
some  of  your  friends  or  companions  now  in  hell,  are  wishing  they 
could  come  back  to  tell  you  how  precious  is  an  inch  of  saving 
time  ! 

Oh  !  brethren,  be  wise.  •'  Why  stand  ye  all  the  day  idle  ?"  It 
has  come  to  the  eleventh  hour  with  some,  your  unconverted  head 
is  grey,  your  feet  are  tottering.  If  you  saw  a  man  condemned  to 
die,  lying  in  chains,  who  had  but  three  hours  to  live  ;  if  you  saw 
that  man  playing  at  dice,  or  singing  wanton  songs,  would  you  not 
be  shocked  ?  You  would  say  he  was  a  hardened  wretch.  Ah  ! 
are  there  none  among  you  the  same  ?  You  are  condemned 
already,  your  days  are  numbered,  you  are  hanging  by  a  thread 
over  the  mouth  of  hell ;  and  yet  you  are  cutting  and  slashing  at 
the  hand  that  holds  you.  In  a  little  moment,  brethren,  it  will  be 
all  over.  Throughout  the  never  ending  ages  of  eternity  you  will 
remember  the  few  days  we  spent  together.  Ah  !  the  remem- 
brance will  add  fuel  to  the  flame,  and  be  a  never-dying  worm  in 
your  poor  soul.     Amen. 


318  SERMON    LV. 


SERMON  LV. 

SIR,    WE    WOULD    SEE    JESUS. 

'*  And  there  were  certain  Greeks  among  them  that  came  up  to  w  orship  at  the  feast  • 
the  same  came  therefore  to  Philip,  which  was  of  Bethsaida  of  Galilee,  and  de- 
sired him,  saying.  Sir,  We  would  see  Jesus.  Philip  cometh  and  telleth  Andrew  : 
and  again  Andrew  and  Philip  tell  Jesus.  And  Jesus  answered  them,  saying, 
The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified.  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
■unto  you,  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  foil  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone  : 
but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall  lose  it ; 
and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal.  If  any 
man  serve  me,  let  him  follow  me  ;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant 
be :  if  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor." — John  xii.,  20-26. 

I.   The  manner  in  which  these  Greeks  sought  the  Lord  Jesus. 

1.  They  came  not  direct  to  Christ,  but  in  a  round-about  manner  : 
"  The  same  came  to  Philip." — Verse  21.  Had  they  felt  the  into- 
lerable burden  of  sin  that  lay  upon  them,  or  had  they  seen  the 
grace  and  suitableness  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  they  would  have  run  to 
his  feet ;  but  their  concern  was  very  slight  indeed.  When  the 
publicans  and  sinners  were  awakened  about  their  souls,  it  is  said 
they  drew  near  to  Jesus.  They  did  not  go  to  Philip,  or  to  Andrew, 
or  to  any  man,  but  they  pressed  near  to  Christ.  They  saw  that 
he  was  the  fountain  for  their  guilty  souls,  and  all  the  world  could 
not  keep  them  back  from  him.  When  the  woman  which  was  a 
sinner  knew  that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  she 
came  to  his  feet.  She  did  not  ask  leave,  she  could  not  stay,  but 
cast  her  guilty  soul  at  his  feet,  washed  them  with  her  tears,  and 
wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head.  So  it  is  still.  If  you  felt 
the  burden  of  sin  as  you  ought  to  feel  it,  if  you  felt  the  free  grace 
of  Christ  as  you  ought,  you  would  press  through  the  crowd  to 
come  to  Jesus.  You  would  say :  Make  a  lane,  that  I  may  come 
to  him.  He  calls  me,  he  calls  the  chief  of  sinners.  Here,  Lord, 
am  I ;  wash  me  in  thy  blood,  or  else  I  die.  If  you  feel  the  crim- 
son color  of  your  soul,  and  believe  the  freeness  and  fulness  of  the 
fountain,  you  will  ask  no  man's  leave,  but  go  direct  to  Jesus. 

2.  They  asked  only  to  see  Jesus  :  "  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus." 
This  shows  how  little  they  were  in  earnest  to  be  saved  by  Christ. 
For  the  same  cause  Zaccheus  climbed  up  into  the  sycamore  tree, 
to  see  Jesus,  who  he  was.  For  the  same  cause  Herod  wished 
long  to  sec  Jesus  ;  for  he  hoped  to  see  some  miracle  done  by  him  ; 
just  as  you  would  like  to  see  some  juggler  or  fortune-teller,  out  of 
an  earthly,  worldly  curiosity.  Some  are  spoken  of:  "Ye  seek 
me,  because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves,  and  were  filled." — John  vi., 
26.  Ah  !  how  different  when  men  are  truly  awakened  by  the 
Spirit.  When  Job  was  under  soul  concern,  his  cry  was  :  "  Oh  ! 
that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him,  that  I  might  come  even  to 
his  seat."     How  different  the  cry  of  the  Bride  :  "  I  held  him,  and 


SERMON    LV.  319 

would  not  let  him  go.  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his  !"  How 
different  the  cry  of  Paul :  "  I  count  all  things  but  dung,  that  I  may 
•win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him."  Oh  !  brethren,  if  you  are  under 
the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  no  mere  outward  sight  of  Christ  will 
satisfy  your  soul.  You  must  have  a  heart  sight  and  heart  relish 
of  him.  You  must  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  Many 
of  you  like  to  hear  about  Jesus,  you  like  to  be  entertained  by  fine 
descriptions  of  Jesus  ;  but  if  you  are  under  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit,  nothing  will  satisfy  you  but  to  sit  down  under  his  shadow, 
to  be  found  in  him,  to  be  the  dove  hidden  by  his  own  hand  "  in  the 
clefts  of  the  rock  and  in  the  secret  places  of  the  stair,"  to  be 
washed  in  his  blood,  and  new  created  by  his  Spirit. 

3.  One  reason  of  their  little  concern  was  fear  of  man. — The 
rage  of  Christ's  enemies  was  waxing  hotter  and  hotter,  a  few 
days  before  they  had  come  to  the  solemn  resolution  of  putting  him 
to  death.  Nay,  we  are  told  they  consulted  how  they  might  put 
Lazarus  also  to  death,  so  bloodthirsty  were  thev  grown. — Verse 
10.  We  arc  told  that  many  of  the  chief  rulers  also  believed  on 
him ;  but  because  of  the  Pharisees  they  durst  not  confess  him 
(verse  42)  ;  for  they  loved  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise 
of  God.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  then,  that  the  heat  and  anger 
of  Christ's  enemies  greatly  damped  the  concern  of  these  Greeks. 
It  was  probably  this  that  made  them  apply  first  to  Philip.  It  made 
them  cautious  in  their  words :  "  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus."  How 
truly  is  it  said,  "  The  fear  of  man  bringeth  a  snare  !"  The  roar- 
ing of  the  lion  has  driven  many  a  soul  away  from  Christ.  Is  this 
not  the  case  among  you  ?  What  will  my  family  say  ;  what  will 
my  companions'  say;  what  will  the  world  say,  if  I  should  go  to 
Christ,  and  give  up  all  for  him  ?  These  three  roars  of  the  lion 
have  ruined  many  souls.  How  many  of  you  have  felt  a  real  de- 
sire sometimes  to  be  saved?  Perhaps  you  fell  on  your  knees  and 
prayed  sincerely  to  be  delivered.  But  some  companion  came  in, 
some  merry-making  was  proposed,  and  you  had  not  courage 
to  say,  No.  You  wished  to  say,  I  have  begun  to  seek  the  Lord, 
I  have  been  on  my  knees,  I  have  been  praying  that  I  may  be 
saved;  but  you  could  not  say  it,  your  tongue  stuck  to  your  jaws ; 
and  so  you  went  back  to  your  vomit,  and  to  wallow  in  the  mire. 
Alas  !  you  loved  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of  God. 
"  How  can  ye  believe,  which  receive  honor  one  of  another,  and 
seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only  ?"  What  a  foolish 
thing  it  is  to  fear  the  frown  of  a  worm  of  the  dust  more  than  the 
frown  of  the  infinite  God !  to  fear  the  laugh  of  the  scorner  more 
than  the  sentence  of  Christ,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed  !"  "  Fear  not  them 
who  can  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather 
fear  him  who  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell." 

II.  Chrisfs  answer. 

1.  He  shows  them  that  he  must  die  before  men  will  seek  him  in 


320  SERMON    LV. 

earnest: — "The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glo- 
rified."— Verse  23.  There  is  something  very  deep  and  solemn  in 
this  answer  of  Christ.  He  saw  that  these  Greeks  had  no  piercing 
sense  of  their  need  of  him  ;  and  he  explains  to  the  disciples  that 
it  is  only  a  discovery  of  him  as  a  crucified  Christ  that  will  draw 
men  to  him.  As  if  he  should  say,  I  am  like  a  corn  of  wheat,  if 
it  be  not  put  into  the  earth  and  die,  it  will  abide  alone ;  but  if  it 
be  sown,  and  die,  it  bears  much  fruit.  So  if  I  die  not,  no  men 
will  be  drawn  to  me ;  but  if  I  die  for  sinners,  and  lie  down  in  the 
grave  for  them,  then  they  will  be  drawn  to  me. 

(1.)  The  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the  most  awakening  sight 
in  the  loorld. — Why  did  that  lovely  One  that  was  from  the  begin- 
ning the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  express  image  of 
his  person,  degrade  himself  so  much  as  to  become  like  a  small 
corn  of  wheat,  which  is  hidden  under  the  earth  and  dies?  why 
did  he  lie  down  in  the  cold  rocky  sepulchre  ?  Was  it  not  that 
there  was  wrath  infinite  and  unutterable  lying  upon  men?  Would 
Christ  have  wept  over  Jerusalem  if  there  had  been  no  hell  beneath 
it  ?  Would  he  have  died  under  his  Father's  wrath  if  there  were 
no  wrath  to  come  ?  Oh !  secure  sinners,  triflers  with  the  Gospel, 
polite  hearers  who  say  often,  "  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus,"  but  who 
never  find  him,  go  to  Gethsemane,  see  his  unspeakable  agonies ; 
go  to  Golgotha,  see  the  vial  of  wrath  poured  upon  his  breaking 
heart ;  go  to  the  sepulchre,  see  the  corn  of  wheat  laid  dead  in  the 
ground.  Why  all  this  suffering  in  the  spotless  One  if  thei'e  be  no 
wrath  coming  on  the  unsheltered,  unbelieving  head  ?  Oh  !  the 
corn  of  wheat  in  the  ground  is  the  most  awakening  sight  in  the 
universe. 

(2.)  It  is  the  most  drawing  sight : — "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  These  poor  Greeks  did  not 
feel  much  their  need  of  Christ,  but  still  less  did  they  see  his  suit- 
ableness to  their  need.  Had  they  but  seen  what  shelter  there 
was  to  be  in  his  wounds  for  sinners — had  they  seen  how  much 
room  there  would  be  for  the  chief  of  sinners — they  would  have 
burst  through  every  difficulty  to  come  to  Jesus.  Nothing  in  the 
world  would  have  kept  them  back  from  Christ.  The  fear  of  man 
would  have  been  like  a  straw  ;  they  would  have  cried,  not,  "  Sir, 
we  would  see  Jesus,"  but,  "  Draw  me,  and  I  will  run  after  thee" — 
"  Hide  me  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock" — "  Cause  me  to  sit  under 
the  shade  of  the  apple  tree."  It  was  this  sight  that  drew  three 
thousand  to  Jesus  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  The  corn  of  wheat 
dying  for  us,  is  the  true  loadstone  to  draw  iron  hearts  after  him. 
In  the  natural  loadstone  the  iron  may  be  drawn  away  again,  but 
the  soul  once  drawn  to  Christ  can  never  be  drawn  away  any 
more. 

Oh !  pray  for  a  drawing  discovery  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Some  of  you  are  in  this  condition.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  on  one  side 
of  you,  and  Satan  on  the  other,  and  you  in  the  midst,  and  both  are 


SERMON    LV.  321 

drawing  at  your  soul.  Oh  !  pray  that  the  Lord  Jesus  may 
overcome.  His  open  arms  on  the  cross  are  drawing  you — his 
wound  in  the  side  is  inviting  you.     '■  In  me  ye  shall  have  peace." 

2.  That  men  must  cleave  to  him  at  whatever  cost. — Verse  25. 
These  poor  Greeks  were  under  the  fear  of  man.  They  were 
afraid  they  would  be  put  out  of  the  synagogue,  or  perhaps  they 
would  be  called  Galileans  or  Nazarenes,  or  perhaps  they  would 
bo  laughed  at,  and  lose  the  praise  of  men ;  and  this  made  them 
very  cautious  in  their  approach  to  the  vSaviour.  Now,  the  Lord 
Jesus  shows  them  this  is  not  the  way  that  awakened  souls  must 
seek  him.  As  if  he  should  say,  Go  and  tell  them  that  in  coming 
to  me  they  are  coming  for  eternal  life,  and  therefore  every  other 
consideration  must  be  laid  aside.  I  am  the  one  thing  needful — 
I  am  the  pearl  of  great  price.  They  that  seek  me  must  push  aside 
everything  that  stands  in  the  way.  Even  if  they  lose  their  life  in 
coming  to  me,  they  would  find  life  eternal.  "  He  that  loseth  his 
life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it,"  Those  that  know  the  real  worth  of 
Christ  will  make  everything  subordinate  to  their  finding  him. 
Those  who  will  not,  never  will  find  him. 

(1.)  Consider  how  precious  Christ  is : — "  In  him  is  life  eternal." 
In  him  there  is  pardon  for  the  vilest  of  sinners.  In  him  there  is 
sweet  peace  of  conscience — peace  with  God.  In  him  there  is  rest 
for  the  weary  soul — the  way  to  the  Father — an  open  door  into  the 
fold  of  God.  In  him  there  is  a  fountain  of  living  waters — un- 
searchable riches — fall  supplies  of  grace  and  truth  for  weak  and 
weary  souls.  In  him  there  is  acquittal  at  the  judgment-day,  and 
a  glorious  crown.  Oh  !  should  you  not  leave  all  for  this  ?  Shall 
a  lust,  or  a  pleasure,  or  a  game,  or  the  smile  of  a  friend,  keep  you 
from  all  this  ?  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,  the  things  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him." 

(2.)  Consider  how  sad  your  case  without  him. — The  number 
of  your  sins  is  infinite  :  "  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me 
about."  Your  heart  is  as  full  as  ever — ready  to  gush  out  with 
sin  to  all  eternity.  God  is  angry  with  you  every  day.  There  is 
no  refuge  but  Christ.  If  you  do  not  get  into  him,  you  will  never 
be  saved.  You  will  be  outside  the  ark  when  the  flood  comes. 
You  will  knock,  and  cry,  Lord  !  Lord  ! — but  it  will  be  too  late. 
God  will  be  your  enemy.  The  great  day  of  his  wrath  will  be  come, 
and  who  will  be  able  to  stand  ?  Some  of  you  have  felt  a  little 
touch  of  concern  ;  you  have  never  felt  the  millionth  part  of  what 
is  the  truth.  Oh  !  then,  will  you  let  some  poor  lust,  or  pride,  or 
love  of  dress,  some  Herodias,  keep  you  out  from  Christ? 

Be  entreated  to  cleave  to  him  at  whatever  cost — If  any  business 
comes  between,  takes  up  too  much  time,  disturbs  your  Sabbaths, 
hinders  you  from  coming  to  Christ — let  it  go.  If  any  pleasure 
comes  between,  lulls  your  convictions,  deadens  you  at  prayer  and 
Bible,  quickens  your  desire  for  the  world  and  sin — let  it  go.  If 
21 


322  SERMON    LV. 

any  friend  comes  between  you  and  Christ,  if  their  company  in- 
disposes you  for  seeking  Christ,  takes  off  your  mind,  if  their  ridi- 
cule or  vain  talk  brings  you  back  to  the  world — let  them  go. 
Never  mind  though  they  laugh  and  sneer,  think  you  odd,  ridicu- 
lous, call  you  methodist ;  it  matters  not  ;  one  thing  is  needful, 
Christ  is  precious — eternity  is  near.  If  you  do  not,  you  will  lose 
your  soul.     Like  Paul,  I  count  all  things  but  loss. 

3.  If  we  would  he  Christ's,  we  must  give  up  ourselves  to  his 
service  for  ever. — The  poor  Greeks  said:  "Sir,  we  would  see 
Jesus."  Jesus  here  tells  them  that  a  mere  si^ht  of  him  will  not 
do:  "If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him  follow  me."  Many  people 
are  willing  to  be  saved  from  hell ;  but  they  are  not  willing  to  give 
themselves  up  to  Christ  to  be  his  servants  and  followers  ;  but 
every  one  who  is  under  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  gives  himself 
uptobe  the  Lord's.  So  Matthew.  The  Lord  said:  "  Follow  me  ; 
and  he  arose  and  left  all,  and  followed  Jesus."  One  who  is  truly 
taught  of  God  feels  indwelling  sin  a  greater  burden  than  the  fear 
of  hell :  "  In  me,  that  is  in  my  flesh,  there  is  no  good  thing."  "  O 
wretched  man  that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  ?"  Therefore,  that  soul  is  willing  to  be  Christ's  servant  for 
ever — willing  to  have  his  ear  bored  to  the  door  of  Christ's  house. 

This  will  discover  hypocrites.  Are  you  willing  to  be  Christ's 
servant,  to  follow  him  in  hard  duties,  to  be  brought  under  the 
rules  of  the  Gospel  1  If  not,  you  are  a  hypocrite.  Count  the 
cost  of  coming  to  Christ. 

III.   The  reward. 

1.  You  will  he  with  Christ.  You  may  be  cast  out  by  men — 
father  and  mother — offscouring  of  all  things  :  "  To-day  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  paradise" — be  with  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Zion.  Sit 
with  me  on  my  throne  :  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou 
hast  c;iven  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  thev  may  behold  my 
glory^" 

2.  The  Father  will  honor.  You  will  lose  the  praise  of  men, 
perhaps  of  some  you  esteem ;  but  you  will  gain  the  honor  of 
God. 

(].)  In  this  world.  Ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure.  He  will 
guide  you  with  his  eye,  hear  your  prayer,  be  with  you  in 
trouble,  fill  you  with  his  Spirit,  give  his  angels  charge  over  you, 
be  with  you  in  death. 

(2.)  In  eternity.  He  will  receive  you,  show  you  his  salvation, 
wipe  off  tears  from  your  eyes,  be  your  God  and  portion.  Jesus 
will  confess  you  before  his  Father :  This  soul  followed  me. 


SERMON    LVl.  323 


SERMON  LVl. 

THOU  THAT  DWELLEST  IN  THE  GARDENS. 

"  Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens,  the  companions  hearken  to  thy  voice :  cause 
me  to  hear  it.  Make  haste,  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe  or  to  a  young 
hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices." — Song  viii.,  13,  14. 

I.  The  description  of  the  Church,  or  of  the  believing  soul :  "  Thou 
that  dwellest  in  the  gardens."  This  is  true  of  the  believer  in  two 
ways. 

1 .  He  is  enclosed  and  separated  from  the  world :  "  A  garden 
enclosed  is  my  sister,  my  spouse." — Song  iv.,  12.  All  believers 
dwell  within  an  enclosure.  Just  as  the  gardens  in  the  East  are 
enclosed  with  a  fence  of  reeds,  or  of  prickly  pear,  or  by  a  stone 
wall,  so  all  that  are  Christ's  are  enclosed  out  of  the  world.  Jesus 
says  :  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  its  own : 
but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out 
of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  you."  Paul  says,  he  was 
"  separated  unto  the  Gospel  of  God."  And  again,  John  says : 
"  The  world  knoweth  us  not,  even  as  it  knew  him  not."  Great 
mistakes  are  made  here.  There  are  many  hedges  that  are  none 
of  Christ's  planting.  Many  are  separated,  but  not  unto  the  Gos- 
pel of  God.  (1.)  Some  are  separated  by  education.  They  are 
brought  up  far  away  from  the  noise  and  bustle  of  the  world. 
They  see  little  of  its  vices,  and  hear  little  of  its  profanity.  They 
are  never  allowed  to  come  within  its  magic  ring.  They  are  a  kind 
of  separated  people.  But,  all !  they  have  a  world  in  their  own 
heart.  (2.)  Some,  again,  ai'e  separated  from  the  world  by  worldly 
griefs  and  distresses,  or  by  sickness  of  body.  Their  proud  spirit 
is  broken.  Their  heart  used  madly  to  follow  the  world ;  but  now 
it  sickens  and  dies  within  them  ;  desire  fails.  They  have  no  more 
heart  for  their  idols.  These  are  a  kind  of  separated  people.  But, 
ah  I  they  dwell  not  in  the  gardens  ;  that  is  the  separation  of  na- 
ture, not  of  grace.  (3.)  Some  have  a  haughty  separation  from 
the  world,  like  those  that  said  :  "  Stand  back,  for  I  am  holier  than 
thou :  like  the  Pharisees,  who  would  not  speak  to  a  publican. 
These  are  known  by  their  little  compassion  for  the  world.  Ah  ! 
these  do  not  dwell  in  Christ's  garden.  (4.)  There  is  a  nominal 
separation  from  the  world.  These  people  have  a  name  to  live, 
and  are  dead.  They  belong,  it  may  be,  to  a  peculiar  congrega- 
tion, and  to  a  peculiar  prayer-meeting ;  they  have  a  Christian 
name  and  a  Christian  appearance  ;  they  often  speak  as  Christians, 
and  are  spoken  of  as  Christians ;  the  world  arc  afraid  of  them, 
and  treat  them  as  if  they  were  believers  ;  but  all  the  time  beneath 
that  mantle  there  beats  an  unchanged,  unbelieving,  ungodly  heart 
Ah  !  brethren,  this  is  a  separation  of  Satan's  making. 


324  SERMON    LVI. 

But  all  that  are  truly  Christ's  are  dwellers  in  the  gardens. 
They  are  separated  from  the  woi-ld  by  an  infinite,  impassable 
chasm. 

1st,  By  blood.  Just  as  the  houses  of  Israel  were  separated  from 
the  houses  of  the  Egyptians  by  having  the  doors  sprinkled  with 
blood  ;  so  there  are  a  set  of  men  in  this  world,  the  doors  of  whose 
hearts  have  been  sprinkled  with  blood.  The  blood  of  Christ  upon 
their  conscience  marks  them  out  as  pardoned  men.  They  had 
the  same  nature  as  other  men  ;  the  same  enmity  to  God,  and  des- 
perate departure  from  him  ;  they  had  the  same  love  of  idols  as 
other  men ;  they  spent  their  youth  in  the  same  sins  as  other  men ; 
many  of  them  went  into  the  lowest  depths  of  sin  ;  but  the  Lord 
Jesus  loved  them,  and  washed  them  from  their  sins  in  his  own 
blood.  *•  Justified  by  faith  they  have  peace  with  God."  These 
are  they  who  dwell  in  the  gardens.  Ah  !  brethren,  have  you 
been  separated  by  blood  1 — have  you  got  the  red  blood  of  Jesus, 
making  your  soul  different  from  the  rest  of  men  1 

2d,  By  his  Spirit.  All  that  are  truly  Christ's  are  separated 
from  the  world  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  is  a  new  creature."  He  has  got  new 
desires  given  him.  Once  he  desired  what  other  men  do  ;  praise 
of  men,  a  name,  power,  money,  pleasure.  These  were  the  chief 
objects  set  before  him.  Now  these  have  lost  their  power  over 
him.  The  world  is  become  crucified.  Now  he  desires  more 
nearness  to  God ;  more  complete  change  of  heart ;  he  desires  to 
spread  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  over  the  world.  He  is  separated 
unto  the  Gospel  of  God.  He  has  got  new  sorrows.  Once  all  his 
sorrows  were  worldly  sorrows ;  he  wept  at  the  loss  of  friends  or 
this  world's  possessions ;  but  now  these  sorrows  are  light  afflic- 
tions. His  heaviest  grief  now  is,  when  he  is  deserted  of  God ; 
when  he  wants  the  presence  of  God  and  the  smile  of  God  ;  or  per- 
haps the  absence  of  the  Spirit  and  the  burning  of  corruption  with- 
in, or  sin  abounding  around  him,  makes  him  sigh  and  cry  ;  or  the 
ark  of  God  makes  his  heart  tremble.  That  man  is  separated — he 
dwells  in  the  gardens. 

Dear  souls,  have  you  been  thus  separated  from  the  world? 
"  We  are  bound  always  to  thank  God  for  you,  beloved :  because 
he  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation  through  sancti- 
fication  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth."  Ah  !  brethren,  does 
the  blood  of  Christ  separate  you  from  the  unpardoned  world? 
Does  the  Spirit  of  Christ  separate  you  from  the  unregenerate 
world  ?  Is  there  a  real,  eternal  separation  made  between  you  and 
the  world?     If  not,  you  will  perish  with  the  world. 

2.  Dwelling  in  the  gardens  seems  also  to  mean  dwelling  in  de- 
light. When  God  made  man  at  the  first,  he  planted  a  garden 
eastward  in  Eden  ;  and  out  of  the  ground  made  the  Lord  God  to 
grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  good  for  food — 
the  ti-ee  of  life  also  in  the  midst  of  the  garden.    And  the  Lord  God 


SERMON    LVI.  325 

took  the  man  and  put  him  into  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  dress  and 
to  keep  it.  That  garden  was  a  sweet  type  of  the  delight  of 
Adam's  soul ;  and  there,  day  by  day,  he  heard  the  voice  of  God 
walking  in  the  garden,  in  the  cool  of  the  day.  When  Adam  fell, 
God  drove  him  out  of  the  garden  into  this  bleak  world,  covered 
with  thorns  and  thistles,  to  earn  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his 
brow.  Man  no  more  walked  with  God  in  a  garden  of  delights. 
But  when  a  sinner  is  brought  to  Christ,  he  is  brought  into  Christ's 
garden  :  "  We,  who  believe,  do  enter  into  rest."  He  says :  "  I 
sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was 
sweet  to  my  taste."  He  becomes  one  that  dwells  in  the  gardens. 
True,  he  is  one  coming  up  from  the  wilderness.  This  world  is  a 
wilderness  to  the  believer — full  of  pain,  sickness,  sighing,  death — 
a  world  that  crucified  his  Lord,  and  persecutes  him  ;  a  cold,  un- 
believing, ungodly  world.  Still,  the  soul  dwells  in  the  gardens : 
"  His  soul  shall  dwell  at  ease."  True,  a  believer  has  his  times 
of  desertion,  and  clouds,  and  doubts,  and  deep  waters.  At  such 
times,  his  cry  is  ;  '*  O  wretched  man  !"  Still,  when  his  eye  rests 
on  Jesus,  his  soul  dwells  in  a  garden  of  delights. 

Oh  !  brethren,  have  you  been  brought  into  Christ's  garden ; 
have  you  found  great  delight  in  him  ;  a  better  Eden — a  right  to 
the  tree  of  life  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God?  Many 
of  you  think  it  a  dull  thing  to  become  a  Christian.  You  look  upon 
their  outside,  their  quiet,  humble  walk,  through  the  world.  You 
think  them  dull,  morose,  severe.  But,  O  man  !  you  are  only 
looking  at  the  shell :  could  you  see  what  is  felt  within — could  you 
see  the  sunshine  of  heaven  that  rests  upon  that  soul,  could  you 
taste  for  a  moment  the  pleasure  of  being  at  peace  with  God,  you 
would  feel  that  all  your  pleasures  are  but  the  husks  which  the 
swine  are  eatins:. 

"  Happy  is  the  man  that  findeth  wisdom, 
And  the  man  that  getteth  understanding. 
She  is  more  precious  than  rubies ; 

And  all  the  things  thou  canst  desire  are  not  to  be  compared  unto  her. 
Length  of  days  is  in  her  right  hand  ; 
In  her  left  hand  riches  and  honor. 
Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness, 
And  all  her  paths  are  peace. 

She's  a  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold  upon  her : 
And  happy  is  every  one  that  retaineth  her." 

Ah  !  brethren,  go  and  learn  the  hymn  that  begins — 

"  Shall  men  pretend  to  pleasure 

That  never  knew  the  Lord  .' 

Can  all  the  worldling's  treasure 

True  peace  of  mind  afford  ?" 

JI.  The  complaint  of  Christ :  "  The  companions  hear  thy 
voice." 

1.  The  soul  in  Christ  has  many  sweet  companions,  brothers  and 


326  SERMON    LVI. 

sisters  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  soul  that  is  united  to  the  vine  tree  is 
united  to  all  the  branches  :  "  We  know  that  we  are  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren" — "  I  am  a  com- 
panion of  all  them  that  fear  thee." 

Believers  have  many  things  to  say  to  one  another  ;  as  John 
says  to  Gaius :  -"  I  had  many  things  to  write  unto  thee,  but  I 
will  not  with  ink  and  pen  write  unto  thee :  but  I  trust  I  shall 
shortly  see  thee,  and  we  shall  speak  face  to  foce."  So  did  believ- 
ers in  the  days  of  Malachi :  "  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord 
spake  often  one  to  another  :  and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard." 
And  so  do  believers  still.  They  may  tell  of  their  past  expe- 
riences modestly,  humbly,  with  self-loathing,  and  for  the  glory  of 
Christ ;  as  Jesus  told  the  maniac  :  "  Return  to  thine  own  house, 
and  show  how  great  things  God  hath  done  unto  thee"  (Luke 
viii.,  39)  ;  and  as  David  speaks  :  "  Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that 
fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my  soul." — 
Ps.  Ixvi.,  16. 

They  speak  to  one  another  in  their  distresses,  as  it  is  written, 
"  Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  these  words."  Not  com- 
fort yourselves,  but  comfort  one  another.  It  is  God's  ordinance 
that  comfort  should  be  ministered  by  believer  to  believer ;  that 
the  gentle  hand  of  love  should  bring  the  cup  of  consolation.  They 
speak  to  one  another  of  Jesus  :  "  Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul 
loveth  1" — "  Whither  is  thy  Beloved  gone,  O  thou  fairest  among 
women  ?  whither  is  thy  Beloved  turned  aside,  that  we  may  seek 
him  with  thee  ?"  They  exhort  one  another  daily,  while  it  is 
called  to-day. 

Ah  !  this  is  a  true  mark  of  all  true  believers.  "  The  companions 
hearken  to  thy  voice."  How  many  of  you  may  know  that  you 
are  not  in  Christ  by  this,  that  you  have  never  learned  the  pure 
language  of  Canaan.  True,  there  are  many  have  the  outward 
phrase  of  Christians,  and  have  much  talk,  who  will  turn  out  to 
be  clouds  without  rain,  foolish  virgins,  having  a  lamp,  and  wick, 
and  tlamc — no  drop  of  oil  within  ;  still,  if  you  have  not  the  speech 
of  Canaan,  if  you  have  not  a  word  for  those  that  are  journeying 
towards  glory,  I  fear  you  belong  not  to  that  company. 

2.  Hear  the  complaint  of  Christ.  "  Cause  me  to  hear  it." 
Christ  complains  that  we  speak  more  to  one  another  than  to  him. 
This  is  too  often  the  case,  especially  with  young  believers. 
When  the  bosom  is  filled  with  joy,  the  believer  pours  it  out 
before  his  companions,  rather  than  before  the  Lord.  In  sorrow, 
when  clouds  liave  covered  the  soul,  Christ  is  forgotten,  and 
some  companion  sought  out  to  hear  your  complaints.  In  diffit^ulty, 
how  often  the  believer  runs  first  to  some  companion  on  earth  for 
counsel !  Now  the  word  of  Christ  is,  "  Cause  me  to  hear  it" — Run 
first  to  me. 

(1.)  Because  Christ  is  a  jealous  Saviour:  "I,  the  Lord  thy 
God,  am  a  jealous  God."     When  Christ  took  us  to  himself  he 


SERMON    LVI.  327 

said,  "  Thou  shall  call  me  Ishi,  and  shall  call  me  no  more  Baali ; 
for  I  will  take  away  ihc  names  of  Baalim  out  of  her  moulh." 
Remember  how  he  said,  "  Lovesl  thou  me  more  than  these  ?" 
And  we  said  to  him,  "  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols?" 
Now,  the  Lord  Jesus  cannot  bear  that  we  should  have  a  nearer 
friend  than  himself  He  must  be  our  next  of  kin.  We  must  lean 
on  the  Beloved.     "  Cause  me  to  hear  it." 

(2.)  Because  in  him  is  the  full  supply  of  all  our  need.  True, 
the  companions  are  lovely  and  pleasant  in  their  lives ;  but  where 
did  they  get  all  the  grace  that  made  them  so  1  Was  it  not  from 
Christ?  Perhaps  we  love  their  gentleness  and  meekness ;  their 
holy  wisdom,  to  advise  us  in  difficult  circumstances  ;  but  ah  ! 
where  did  they  get  all  that?  from  Jesus.  They  are  but  cisterns; 
Christ  is  the  fountain.  They  are  but  creatures ;  Christ  is  the 
Creator,  We  must  leave  them,  and  betake  ourselves  to  him. 
"  Cause  me  to  hear  it." 

(3.)  Communion  with  Christ  is  always  sanctifying.  Commu- 
nion with  men,  even  with  good  men,  often  hardens  and  hurts  the 
soul.  Are  you  telling  experiences  ?  you  are  apt  to  be  man-pleas- 
ing, to  seek  to  appear  something  wonderful,  very  humble,  or  very 
believing ;  you  are  apt  to  seek  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the 
praise  of  God.  Are  you  seeking  comfort  ?  you  are  apt  to  lean  on 
the  creature,  and  to  forget  the  only  Comforter ;  but  communion 
with  Christ  is  always  sanctifying.  Oh  !  it  is  good  for  the  soul  to 
meet  with  Jesus.  Oh  !  if  you  would  go  to  Jesus  and  tell  him  all ; 
if  you  would  cause  him  to  hear  it,  how  much  happier  lives  you 
would  lead  !  Let  there  be  the  utmost  frankness  between  your  soul 
and  Christ.  Cover  no  sin  before  him  ;  pour  out  every  joy,  unbo- 
som every  grief,  seek  counsel  in  every  perplexity.  See  here,  he 
bids  you  come  and  tell  him  all :  "Cause  me  to  hear  it." 

III.   The  believers  prayer. 

\.  He  prays  for  a  swift  return  of  Christ  to  his  own  soul.  It  is 
the  presence  of  Christ  with  the  soul  that  gives  true  peace  and  true 
holiness.  It  is  not  circumstances,  nor  ministers,  nor  place,  nor 
time,  but  Jesus  present.  To  sit  under  his  shadow,  gives  great 
delight.  To  lean  upon  the  Beloved  alone  supports  his  faltering 
steps.  A  true  believer  cannot  be  satisfied  while  Christ  is  away  ; 
"  Make  haste,  my  beloved."  One  that  is  not  a  wife  may  be  con- 
tent with  other  lovers  ;  but  the  faithful  wife  longs  for  the  return 
of  her  Lord.  The  ordinances  are  all  cold  and  barren  till  he 
return.  Ministers  speak,  but  not  to  the  heart.  The  companions 
cannot  give  rest  nor  ease.  Oh,  brethren  !  do  you  know  what  it  is 
to  long  for  himself;  to  cry,  "  make  haste,  my  Beloved  ?" 

2.  He  prays  for  a  swift  return  of  Christ  to  the  Church. — It  is 
the  presence  of  Christ  that  makes  a  sweet  time  of  refreshing  in  a 
Church.  When  he  comes  leaping  on  the  mountains,  skipping 
upon  the  hills,  the  flowers  immediately  appear  on  the  earth.     The 


328  SERMON    LVI, 

Lord's  people  are  quickened  in  all  their  graces ;  they  begin  to  sing 
songs  of  deliverance  ;  anxious  souls  spring  up  like  the  grass  ;  and 
the  whole  garden  of  the  Lord  sends  out  spices.  Ah  !  if  the  Lord 
Jesus  were  to  come  in  liere  with  power,  I  would  preach  and  you 
would  hear  in  another  way  than  we  do.  I  could  not  be  so  hard- 
hearted, and  you  would  be  melted  under  his  Word.  Oh !  will 
you  not  pray,  "  Make  haste,  my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe, 
or  to  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices."  Is  not  such  a 
time  desirable  ? 

3.  He  prays  for  the  second  glorious  coming  of  Christ.  It  is  the 
real  visible  coming  and  presence  of  Jesus,  the  king,  in  his  beauty, 
that  will  perfect  the  joy  of  his  believing  people.  (L)  The  love 
of  the  soul  will  then  be  satisfied.  At  present  we  are  tossed  with 
many  doubts.  Am  I  really  converted?  Am  I  in  Christ?  Will 
I  persevere  to  the  end?  The  soul  has  oftentimes  a  hungering 
after  Christ,  and  cannot  get  its  fill.  But  when  we  shall  see  him 
as  he  is,  the  shadows  will  all  flee  away.  We  shall  never  have 
another  doubt  for  ever ;  we  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord.  (2.) 
Jesus  shall  then  be  fully  glorified.  At  present  he  is  scorned  and 
spit  upon.  His  enemies  have  the  upper  hand.  Kings  despise 
him,  and  most  men  lightly  esteem  him.  But  then  he  shall  come 
to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  admired  in  all  them  that  believe. 
All  his  saints  shall  then  bless  him.  "  Men  shall  be  blessed  in  him. 
All  nations  shall  call  him  blessed." 

Ah  !  my  friends,  can  you  honestly  say  you  long  for  that  day  ? 
Is  it  a  blessed  hope  to  you  ?  Those  only  who  can  say,  "  My 
Beloved,"  can  desire  his  coming.  "  Woe  unto  you  that  desire  the 
day  of  the  Lord  !  To  what  end  is  it  for  you?  The  day  of  the 
Lord  is  darkness,  and  not  light."  Ah  1  brethren,  when  Jesus 
comes  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  every  eye  shall  see  him  ;  and  most 
of  you,  I  fear,  will  wail  because  of  him.  Ah,  there  he  is  !  the  Sa- 
viour wc  rejected,  neglected  all  our  life,  despised ;  there  he  comes 
to  take  vengeance  on  us  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the 
Gospel.  Those  of  you  that  can  say,  "My  Beloved"  are  not  in 
darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief.  Your 
prayer  is :  "  Make  haste,  my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe, 
or  to  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices." 


SERMON    LVII.  329 


SERMON  LVIJ. 


DRAW    WATER    WITH    JOY. 


*'  And  in  that  day  thou  shalt  say,  0  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee  :  though  thou  wast 
angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me.  Behold, 
God  is  my  salvation ;  1  will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid  :  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my 
strength  and  my  song  ;  he  also  is  become  my  salvation.  Therefore  with  joy  shall 
ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." — Isa.  xii.,  1-3. 

These  words  do  first  ftpply  to  God's  ancient  people,  the  Jews  ;  but 
they  are  no  less  applicable  to  ourselves. 

1.  Observe  the  time  spoken  of:  "  In  that  day,"  the  day  spoken  of 
in  the  chapter  before :  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the 
Lord  shall  set  his  hand  again  the  second  time  to  recover  the  rem- 
nant of  his  people,  which  shall  be  lei't,  from  Assyria,  and  from 
Egypt,  and  from  Pathros,  and  from  Gush,  and  from  Elam,  and  from 
Shinar,  and  from  Hamath,  and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  And 
he  shall  set  up  an  ensign  for  the  nations,  and  shall  assemble  the 
outcasts  of  Israel,  and  gather  together  the  dispersed  of  Judah  from 
the  four  corners  of  the  earth." — Verses  11,  12.  It  is  in  the  day 
when  God  restores  the  Jews  to  their  own  land,  and  converts  their 
souls. 

2.  Observe  what  they  will  do:  "  I  will  praise  thee."  They  will 
then  be  a  praising  people.  At  present  they  are  a  melancholy 
people.  There  is  no  ji^y  in  their  service,  they  are  like  a  company 
of  dry  bones  ;  but  in  that  day  their  voices  will  be  loud  in  God's 
praise. 

3.  Observe  the  ground  of  it :  "  Though  thou  wast  «ingry  with 
me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me.  Be- 
hold, God  is  my  salvation ;  I  will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid :  for  the 
Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  he  also  is  become  my 
salvation."  The  ground  of  their  joy  is,  that  God's  anger  is  turned 
away  from  them,  they  have  Ibund  a  divine  Saviour  :  "  Behold, 
God  is  my  salvation."  They  have  found  a  divine  Sanctifier :  "The 
Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  song."  Ah  !  this  is  the  truest 
ground  of  joy  and  praise  in  the  whole  world. 

4.  Observe  the  consequences :  *'  Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw 
water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." — Verse  3.  The  wells  of  sal- 
vation appear  to  be  the  divine  ordinances,  God's  Word  and  sacra- 
ments. The  saved  Jews  will  now  find  all  their  springs  in  Zion, 
they  will  be  joyful  hearers  of  God's  Word,  they  will  be  joyful  par- 
takers in  the  Lord's  supper.  With  joy  shall  they  draw  water  out 
of  the  wells  of  salvation. 

Doctrine. — Saved  souls  draw  water  with  joy  out  of  the  wells 
of  salvation. 

Many  among  ourselves  find  no  joy  in  ordinances.     Some  despise 


330  SERMON    LVII. 

them  altogether.  They  come  not  at  all.  They  spend  the  Sab- 
bath morning  in  their  bed,  the  Sabbuth  evening  in  the  pleasures  of 
idleness.  The  most  in  this  parish  have  no  joy  in  drawing  w^ater. 
Some  come  to  the  house  of  God ;  but,  oh  !  it  is  a  weariness,  when 
will  it  be  over?  If  it  were  a  game  of  cards,  or  a  merry  com- 
pany, you  would  not  w^eary  ;  but  you  know  not  what  it  is  to  have 
joy  in  drawing  water.  Multitudes  come  to  the  Lord's  table  for  a 
name,  for  custom,  for  decency,  or  to  obtain  baptism  to  their  chil- 
dren. Alas  !  alas  !  they  are  strangers  to  drawing  water  with  joy. 
Some  weary  souls,  anxious  about  their  eternity,  go  from  sermon  to 
sermon,  from  sacrament  to  sacrament,  seeking  rest,  but  finding 
none.  They  go  to  one  well,  but^hey  find  it  bitter,  to  another,  but 
it  is  dry,  to  another,  but  it  is  deep,  and  they  cannot  draw.  These 
are  always  learning,  and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth.  They  never  draw  water  with  joy  out  of  the  wells  of 
salvation.  Here  is  the  error  :  in  one  and  all  of  these,  they  do  not 
come  as  saved  souls,  they  do  not  come  to  Christ  to  get  God's  anger 
away.     Saved  souls  alone  draw  ivater  with  joy. 

I.  State  of  the  unconverted :  "  Thou  wast  angry  with  me." 
Every  redeemed  soul  can  look  l)ack  to  a  time  when  they  were 
under  the  anger  of  God.  God  is  at  present  angry  with  every  un- 
converted soul.     Observe, 

1.  Whose  anger  it  is  :  "  Thou."  It  is  the  anger  of  God.  If  all 
the  men  in  the  world  were  angry  with  a  soul,  it  would  be  in  a  sad 
condition.  If  every  man  you  met  were  full  of  rage  and  anger 
against  you,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  kings  and  captains,  you  would 
think  yourself  in  a  bad  case.  If  all  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest, 
the  lions,  and  wolves,  and  tigers,  were  to  be  enraged  against  you, 
and  you  were  in  their  power,  you  would  be  in  a  desperate  case. 
But  these  are  but  creatures.  Every  unconverted  soul  among  you 
is  under  the  wrath  of  the  Creator.  He  that  made  you  is  angry 
with  you. 

2.  He  is  always  angry : — "  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every 
day."  Whatever  day  of  the  week  it  be,  week-day  or  Sabbath- 
day,  God  is  angry  with  unconverted  souls.  Their  sins  are  con- 
tinually before  him,  and,  therefore,  he  is  continually  provoked  by 
them.  The  smoke  of  their  sins  is  continually  rising  into  his  nos- 
trils. He  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  him.  Not  only  is  God  angry  every  day,  but  every  moment 
of  the  day.  There  is  not  a  moment  of  an  unconverted  man's  life, 
but  God's  wrath  abideth  on  him.  When  he  is  at  his  work  or  at 
his  i)lay,  sleeping  or  waking,  in  church  or  at  market,  the  sword  of 
God's  wrath  is  over  his  head.  Unconverted  souls  walk  and  sleep 
over  hell. 

3.  It  is  increasing  anger. — Unconverted  men  are  treasuring  up 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath.  Some  unconverted  persons 
think  they  wipe  off  many  sins  by  coming  to  the   Lord's  table, 


SERMON    LVII.  331 

whereas,  if  they  knew  the  truth,  they  would  see  that  they  are 
heaping  up  wrath.  God's  anger  is  hke  a  river  dammed  up.  It 
is  getting  higher  and  higher,  fuller  and  deeper,  every  day  against 
every  soul  that  is  out  of  Christ.  Every  Sabbath  your  cup  is  get- 
ting fuller  ;  it  will  soon  be  full. 

4.  It  is  insufferable. — Unconverted  men  sometimes  say  that  if 
they  must  go  to  hell,  they  will  just  bear  it ;  but  it  cannot  be  borne. 
If  you  saw  a  spider  about  to  be  crushed  under  a  great  rock,  and 
it  should  swell  out  its  body  in  order  to  bear  the  shock,  it  would 
be  miserable  folly.  Such  is  the  folly  of  unconverted  men  saying 
they  will  bear  the  anger  of  God.  How  can  you  bear  the  anger 
of  your  Maker  ?  How  can  you  bear  the  heel  of  Omnipotence  ? 
"  Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine  hands  be  strong,  in  the  day 
that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?" 

Learn  from  this  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Oh  !  sirs,  if 
ye  but  knew  your  condition,  you  would  rise  and  flee.  I  declare  to 
you  that  I  sometimes  think  myself  an  Infidel,  from  the  cold  man- 
ner in  which  I  speak  to  unconverted  souls.  This  is  the  state  of 
every  one  of  you  who  is  unborn  again.  However  amiable,  and 
gentle,  and  irreproachable  in  the  sight  of  man  ;  whatever  experi- 
ences you  have  gone  through ;  though  you  may  have  attended 
ordinances  and  kept  up  prayer ;  yet,  if  you  are  unconverted,  God 
is  angry  with  you  every  day. 

Learn  that  anxious  souls  should  be  ten  thousand  times  more 
anxious  than  they  are.  This  is  the  day  of  grace,  this  is  sav- 
ing time.  God.  has  infinite  pity  for  you.  His  anger  is  infinite 
against  you,  and  yet  his  compassion  is  also  infinite.  The  more 
he  is  angry  with  you  the  more  he  has  pity  for  you.  Although 
his  justice  cries  out  for  vengeance,  sword  and  bow  on  your  soul ; 
although  his  holiness  demands  that  you  should  be  cast  out  of  his 
sight  into  the  blackness  of  darkness  ;  yet  his  compassion  cries, 
Let  him  alone  this  year  also.  There  is  still  room  for  you  under 
the  wings  of  Christ:  "Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye 
perish  from  the  way,  whoa  his  wrath  is  kintlled  but  a  little.  Bless- 
ed are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him." 

II.  The  way  of  sahation : — "  Thine  anger  is  turned  away." 
1.  Pardon.  (1.)  There  is  abundant  provision  for  the  pardon 
and  peace  of  tlie  sinner ;  for  God's  anger  is  turned  away  on  the 
head  of  Christ.  The  thing  which  troubles  the  conscience  of  awak- 
ened souls  is  the  anger  of  God.  It  is  this  which  makes  them  trem- 
ble, by  night  and  by  day,  in  public  and  in  secret.  An  awakened 
soul  feels  that  he  has  broken  God's  law,  and  is  exposed  every  mo- 
ment to  his  wrath.  He  can  find  no  rest  in  his  bed,  no  peace  at 
his  meals,  no  joy  in  his  friends ;  the  heavens  are  black  above  his 
head,  the  earth  is  ready  to  open  and  devour  him.  If  God  be  a 
just  and  holy  God,  he  will  pour  out  his  anger.  If  he  be  a  true 
God,  he  will  fulfil  all  his  threatenings.     If  such  a  soul  would  take 


332  SERMON    LVII, 

Christ  as  his  surety,  he  would  find  abundant  peace.  The  anger 
of  God  has  ah'eady  been  turned  away  on  the  head  of  Christ.  All 
the  clouds  of  wrath  have  been  directed,  like  a  water-spout,  upon 
that  one  head.  If  you  are  willing  that  Christ  bo  your  surety,  you 
do  not  need  to  fear.  The  law  has  had  its  course,  and  God  does 
not  demand  a  second  punishment.  There  is  no  reason  for  your 
standing  trembling,  when  there  is  such  a  glorious  way  of  pardon. 
Christ  offers  himself  as  a  surety  to  every  one  of  you;  and  if  you 
accept  of  him,  your  wrath  is  past,  it  will  never  fall  on  you  to  all 
eternity.  (2.)  This  will  be  still  more  evident,  if  you  consider 
that  Christ  is  a  divine  person:  "Behold,  God  is  my  salvation."  If 
trembling  sinners  only  knew  the  person  who  has  undertaken  to  be 
a  Saviour,  it  would  dispel  all  their  fears.  He  is  the  brightness  of 
God's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person.  He  is  the 
peerless,  matchless  Son  of  God  that  has  undertaken  to  stand  for 
us.  He  is  the  maker  of  the  world,  he  that  sees  the  end  from  the 
beginning.  "By  him  were  all  things  made."  He  made  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars ;  he  made  the  solid  earth ;  he  upholds  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power.  Do  you  think  he  would  fail  in  any 
undertaking  ?  Do  you  think,  if  he  engages  to  be  a  shield  for  sin- 
ners, that  he  will  not  be  enough  to  cover  them  ?  Oh  !  be  asham- 
ed of  your  unbelief,  and  come  under  this  infinite  Shield.  "Behold, 
God  is  my  salvation,"  "  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid."  Come, 
trembling  soul,  under  this  divine  Shield,  and  you  will  find  divine 
peace.  Come  under  this  Rock,  and  you  will  find  rest  for  your 
weary  souls.  It  matters  not  what  sins  you  have ;  if  you  come 
under  Christ,  you  shall  have  peace. 

2.  Holiness.  "  Thou  comfortedst  me." — "  The  Lord  Jehovah 
is  my  strength  and  my  song."  When  a  soul  comes  first  to  Christ, 
he  does  not  know  that  he  needs  any  more  comfort ;  he  feels  such 
joy,  he  thinks  he  shall  never  be  sad  again.  Soon  he  is  made  to 
leel  his  wants.  He  feels  innumerable  enemies  within  and  without. 
His  heart  he  feels  to  be  a  very  hell  within  him  ;  corruptions 
whose  black  faces  he  never  saw  before,  now  raise  their  heads  ; 
his  breast  appears  full  of  hissing  serpents.  The  man  shudders  at 
himself;  he  ieels  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice  ;  the  smallest  breath 
of  temptation  he  feels  will  throw  him  down.  In  despair  of  help,  he 
looks  above  ;  to  Jesus  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  able  to  save  to  the 
uttermost.  In  Jesus  it  hath  pleased  the  Father  that  all  fulness 
should  dwell.  He  sends  the  Comforter  ;  the  Holy  Spirit  comes 
into  the  heart  of  the  trembling,  tempted  one.  "  I  will  trust  and 
not  be  afraid :  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my 
song." 

Ah  !  do  you  know  anything  of  this  Comforter,  of  this  strength, 
of  this  song?  Tell  me  what  do  you  rest  on  for  holiness.  Do  you 
rest  on  your  good  thoughts  of  yourself?  Ah  I  this  is  like  Hazael : 
"  Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  thing  ?"  and  yet  he 
was  the  very  dog  he  so  much  disclaimed.     "  A  haughty  spirit 


SERMON    LVII,  333 

goeth  before  a  fall."  Do  you  rest  on  your  promises  to  man,  or 
your  vows  to  God  ?  Ah  !  this  is  like  Peter :  "  Though  all  men 
forsake  thee,  yet  will  not  I ;"  and  yet  his  promise  was  like  a  breath 
of  wind.  No,  nothing  short  of  Jehovah  can  be  the  strength  of 
thy  soul — nothing  short  of  the  Lord  Jehovah.  Creatures  cannot 
hold  up  creatures.  The  hand  that  guides  the  stars  alone  can  hold 
thy  feet  from  falling.  Is  he  your  strength  ?  Then  he  is  able  to 
keep  you  from  falling.  Though  the  world  had  ten  thousand  times 
more  temptation  than  it  has  ;  though  your  heart  were  ten  thou- 
sand times  more  full  of  lusts  ;  though  Satan  and  his  angels  had  ten 
million  times  their  power ;  they  cannot  cast  down  the  soul  that 
leans  upon  Jehovah.  Wait  on  the  Lord,  be  of  good  courage,  and 
he  shall  strengthen  thine  heart.  The  same  hand  that  holds  the 
sun  in  his  journey  holds  up  the  soul  of  his  people.  Sing,  then, 
weak,  trembling,  tempted  disciple — sing  aloud :  "  I  will  trust,  and 
not  be  afraid." 

III.  Joy  in  ordinances :  "  Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw 
water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." — Verse  3.  How  changed 
are  all  the  wells  of  salvation  to  a  poor  sinner  come  to  Christ ! 

L  The  Bible.  Once  it  was  a  dull,  wearisome  book ;  you 
looked  to  the  end  of  the  chapter  when  you  began  it,  to  see  when 
it  would  be  done.  But  have  you  come  to  Christ  ? — now  the  well 
is  a  well  of  salvation — a  well  of  living  water. 

2.  Prayer.  Once  it  was  wholly  neglected  by  you,  or  a  cold 
form,  which  you  hurried  over ;  now  it  is  a  sweet  well  of  delight. 
Ah  !  there  is  no  better  test  of  the  soul  than  delight  in  secret  prayer, 
unobserved  and  unknown  by  man. 

3.  The  house  of  prayer.  Once  you  despised  it,  or  came  for 
show — to  show  your  best  clothes,  or  to  see  your  companions  ; 
now  you  can  say :  "  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  Let  us  go 
into  the  house  of  the  Lord." 

4.  The  Lord's  Supper.  Once  you  sat  there,  another  Judas,  with 
stony  heart  and  dry  eyes  ;  now  you  find  it  a  well  of  salvation  in- 
deed. It  is  a  pledge  that  Christ  is  yours.  When  you  see  the 
elements,  your  hearit  begins  to  burn  ;  when  you  touch  them,  your 
bands  are  loosed  ;  when  you  taste  them,  your  eyes  are  enlightened  ; 
when  you  eat  them,  your  whole  soul  is  strengthened.  As  surely 
as  that  bread  and  wine  are  yours,  you  feel  that  Christ  is  yours. 
Oh !  come,  then,  with  simple  faith,  sinners  that  have  come  to 
Christ,  and  then  you  will  draw  water  with  joy  out  of  this  well  of 
salvation.  But,  ah  !  have  you  no  saving  change  in  your  heart ; 
no  faith  in  Christ ;  no  union  to  him  ;  no  Comforter  1  Ah  !  then  it 
will  be  a  sad  day  to  you.  You  will  sit  down  at  the  table  with  the 
wrath  of  God  abiding  on  you ;  the  well  of  salvation  will  be  a  poi- 
soned well  to  you  ;  the  bread  of  life  be  the  bread  of  death  to  you ; 
the  cup  of  blessing  be  the  cup  of  cursing. 


334  SERMON    LVIII. 


SERMON  LVIII. 

LOOK  TO  A  PIERCED  CHRFST. 

"  And  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
the  spirit  'of  grace  and  of  supplications  ;  and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they 
have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only  son, 
and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for  his  first-born 

In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of  David  and 

to  the   inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness." — Zech.  xii.,  10  ; 
xiii.,  1. 

In  these  words  you  have  a  description  of  the  conversion  of  the 
Jews,  which  is  yet  to  come ;  an  event  that  will  give  life  to  this 
dead  world.  But  God's  method  is  the  same  in  the  conversion  of 
any  soul.  Conversion  is  the  most  glorious  work  of  God.  The  crea- 
tion of  the  sun  is  a  very  glorious  work  ;  when  God  first  rolled  him 
flaming  along  the  sky,  scatteringout  golden  blessings  on  every  shore. 
The  change  in  spring  is  very  wonderful ;  when  God  makes  the 
faded  grass  revive,  the  dead  trees  put  out  green  leaves,  and  the 
flowers  appear  on  the  earth.  But  far  more  glorious  and  wonder- 
ful is  the  conversion  of  a  soul  !  It  is  the  creation  of  a  sun  that  is 
to  shine  for  eternity  ;  it  is  the  spring  of  the  soul  that  shall  know 
no  winter  ;  the  planting  of  a  tree  that  shall  bloom  with  eternal 
beauty  in  the  paradise  of  God. 

I.  The  source  of  conversion.  The  hand  of  Christ :  "  I  will  pour 
upon  the  house  of  David  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem 
the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications ;  and  they  shall  look  upon 
me  whom  they  have  pierced."  The  Holy  Spirit  comes  from  the 
very  hand  that  was  pierced  by  the  nail  to  the  accursed  tree.  In- 
deed, the  innermost  source  of  the  Spirit  seems  to  be  the  heart 
of  the  Father.  Jesus  calls  him  "  the  Spirit  of  Truth  which 
proceedeth  from  the  Father;"  and  in  1  Cor.  ii.,  11,  he  is  said 
to  be  in  the  heart  of  God,  as  the  spirit  of  a  man  is  in  the  heart 
of  man.  He  is  the  friend  that  dwelt  from  eternity  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.  But  still  it  is  as  true  that  the  Father 
has  given  the  Spirit  to  Christ :  "  It  hath  pleased  the  Father  that 
in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  Jesus  has  obtained  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  reward  of  his  work.  It  is  fitting  that  he  that 
died  for  sinners  should  have  the  Spirit  to  dispense  to  whom  he 
will ;  and  so  one  of  his  last  words  to  his  disciples  was :  *'  I  will 
send  him  unto  you ;  and  when  he  is  come  he  will  convince  the 
world  of  sin." 

1.  This  teaches  awakened  souls  xohere  their  convictions  come 
from.  Do  any  of  you  feel  that  you  have  been  awakened  to  con- 
cern about  your  souls  ?  you  have  been  pierced  through  with  an 


SERMON    LVIII.  335 

arrow  of  conviction.  Look  at  the  arrow  ;  it  came  out  of  the 
bow  of  Christ.  It  was  Christ  that  took  it  out  of  his  quiver. 
Christ  aimed  it  at  your  heart ;  Christ  made  it  pierce  your  heart. 
The  feather  is  marked  with  the  blood  of  the  pierced  hand.  That 
arrow  came  from  the  hand  of  love  ;  from  the  hand  that  was  nailed 
to  the  cross.  Ah!  then,  take  it  as  a  proof  that  Chi  ist  wants  to 
save  you.  He  is  beginning  to  deal  with  you.  Ah  !  do  not  turn 
away  :  do  not  tear  out  the  arrow ;  do  not  heal  the  wound 
shghtly.  Go  to  himself,  and  the  same  hand  that  pierced  you 
will  heal.  Lord,  if  I  may  not  have  peace  from  thee,  grant  I  may 
get  it  from  nothing  else. 

2  When  you  see  others  sorely  wounded,  you  should  acknowledge 
the  hand  of  Christ.  I  find  that  some  acknowledge  the  hand  of  the 
minister,  but  not  the  hand  of  Christ.  This  is  a,  sore  dishonor  to 
our  glorious  Immanuel !  It  was  said  of  the  Erskines,  the  fathers 
of  the  Secession,  that  God  took  away  great  part  of  the  blessing 
from  their  labors,  because  the  people  could  not  see  Christ  over 
their  heads.  I  find  much  of  this  amongst  yourselves.  The  Lord 
teach  you  to  look  above  the  heads  of  ministers,  to  our  glorious 
Redecmei-,  riding  on  his  white  horse  ;  sending  out  his  arrows  of 
conviction  ! 

3.  Pray  to  Christ  to  do  this.  If  he  pours  out  the  Spirit,  then 
who  can  hinder?  I  have  no  doubt  many  of  you  have  come  up  to 
day,  who  would  have  stayed  away  if  you  thought  Christ  would 
this  day  convert  your  soul.  I  fear  there  are  some  among  you  who 
have  shut  your  eyes,  and  stopped  your  ears,  and  made  your  heart 
gross,  lest  ye  should  be  converted,  and  Christ  should  heal  you. 
You  would  not  like  to  be  made  a  weeping,  praying,  lowly  believer 
in  Jesus.  But,  oh  !  if  Christ  pours  out  the  Spirit  to-daj^  then 
even  you  will  be  melted ;  even  you  will  be  made  to  weep  and  to 
cry  :  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

In  a  time  when  Christ  is  not  pouring  the  Spii'it  down,  ministers 
speak  and  strive,  but  in  vain  ;  it  is  like  speaking  to  the  winds,  or 
the  wild  waves  of  the  sea.  But  when  Christ  rises  from  his  throne 
and  pours  the  Spirit  down,  then  the  weakest  means  are  infinitely 
mighty.  The  Word  does  not  come  in  word  only.  The  jaw-bone 
of  an  ass  was  a  very  weak  sword  to  kill  men  with  ;  and  yet  in 
the  hand  of  Samson  it  was  mighty.  He  slew  a  thousand  men 
with  it.  A  sling  and  a  stone  was  a  very  Weak  weapon  to  oppose 
an  armed  giant ;  and  yet  when  David  slung  the  stone,  it  sank  into 
the  forehead  of  the  giant,  and  he  fell  upon  his  face  to  the  earth. 
Oh  !  pray,  dear  believers,  that  the  sling  and  the  stone  may  this  day 
be  in  the  hand  of  our  glorious  David  ;  that  the  Word  may  sink 
into  the  hard  hearts  of  this  people  ;  that  even  giants  in  sin  may  be 
brought  down  to  the  very  dust.  Ah  !  I  fear  that  many  of  you  are 
armed  to  the  teeth  against  the  Word  of  God ;  you  are  armed 
cap-a-pie — armed  to  all  points.  You  are  mocking,  perhaps,  in 
your  security  ;  yet,  look  up,  dear  friends,  to  the  arm'of  Immanuel ; 


336  SERMON    LVIII. 

he  can  bring  down  the  proudest.  Pray  that  he  would  pour  down 
the  Spirit.  I  beUevc  that  the  lowly  prayers  of  a  single  believer 
may  obtain  a  deep  and  pure  work  of  God  in  a  town.  If  there 
were  men  among  us  like  Noah,  Job,  and  Daniel,  we  might  expect 
showers  of  blessings. 

II.   The  Spirit  who  converts. 

1.  The  Spirit  of  Grace. — He  is  so  called,  because  his  coming 
to  any  soul,  and  all  that  he  does  in  the  soul,  is  of  free  grace. 
When  the  Spirit  of  God  first  visits  a  soul,  he  finds  nothing  to  in- 
vite him  to  come  or  to  stay ;  he  finds  the  soul  like  the  dry  bones 
in  the  open  valley — without  any  form  or  comeliness — without  any 
desire  for  life.  Every  natural  man  has  no  more  comeliness  than 
a  dry  skeleton — no  more  desire  for  grace  than  a  dead  carcass. 
Nay,  more,  there  is  everything  to  drive  the  Spirit  away.  He  is  a 
holy  Spirit;  but  he  finds  the  heart  a  sink  of  corruptions,  full  of 
the  most  loathsome  lusts  and  passions.  He  is  a  loving  Spirit ;  but 
he  finds  the  man's  heart  full  of  rebellion  and  horrid  enmity  against 
God.  He  is  a  jealous  Spirit;  but  he  finds  the  man's  heart  a 
chamber  of  imagery,  full  of  abominable  idols.  Oh  !  I  can  imagine 
the  Holy  Spirit  looking  into  some  of  your  hearts,  and  saying  : 
"  Why  should  I  come  to  such  a  soul  ?  He  does  not  want  me  to 
convert  him.  He  wants  to  be  let  alone.  He  had  rather  serve  his 
lusts:  why  should  I  disturb  him?  I  will  let  him  alone."  Stay, 
stay,  blessed  Spirit  of  grace  !  Come,  out  of  free  grace.  Come, 
not  because  he  wants  thee,  but  because  thou  art  gracious.  Come, 
and  make  even  these  dry  bones  to  rise  and  call  upon  the  name  of 
Jesus. 

Some  of  you  know  it  was  thus  he  came  to  you.  He  found  you 
a  rebel,  and  he  has  made  you  an  obedient  child.  Oh,  will  you 
ever  despair  of  any,  since  he  turned  your  heart !  There  are  some 
among  you,  dear  Iriends,  of  whom  man  would  despair — men  and 
women  who  have  lived  long  in  sin — old  formalists,  to  whom  be- 
traying the  Lord  at  his  table  is  an  old  trade.  Oh,  let  us  not  des- 
pair of  such  !  The  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  free  grace.  Invite  him 
to  come,  poor  dead  soul. 

2.  Of  supplications. — Because  he  teaches  to  pray.  A  natural 
man  can  hardly  be  said  to  pray.  True,  he  has  often  a  form — 
often  a  cry  in  the  time  of  distress  ;  but  "will  he  always  call  upon 
God  ?"  An  anxious  soul  cannot  pray  with  a  form  ;  for  he  says. 
None  was  ever  like  me.  But  a  man  prays  in  reality  when  the 
Spirit  comes  to  his  soul.  He  drove  an  ungodly  Manassch  to  his 
knees.  Manasseh  had  often  bowed  the  knee  in  youth  at  his  godly 
father's  knee  ;  he  had  often  prayed  to  his  bloody  idols ;  he  had 
often  prayed  to  the  devil ;  but  now,  when  the  Spirit  came,  he 
began  to  pray  indeed.  He  drove  a  blaspheming  Paul  to  his 
knees.  Often  Paul  had  prayed  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel.  In  the 
synagogue,  and  at  the  corners  of  streets,  he  had  made  long  pray- 


SERMON    LVIII.  337 

ers,  for  pretence  ;    but  now,  awakened  by    the  Spirit  of  God, 
*'  behold,  lie  prayeth." 

Have  you  been  taught  to  pray  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  You 
once  had  a  form,  or  you  prayed  for  a  pi-etence,  or  you  prayed 
to  idols ;  but  have  you  been  driven  to  pray  by  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 
Then,  you  may  be  sure  he  has  begun  a  work  in  your  heart.  If 
any  of  you  have  not  been  driven  to  pray  in  secret,  you  may  be 
quite  sure  that  you  are  in  the  "  gall  of  bitterness  and  the  bond  of 
iniquity."  A  prayerless  soul  is  an  unawakened  soul — very  near 
to  the  burning.  Some  pieces  of  wood  will  burn  much  more  easily 
than  others  ;  some  pieces  are  green,  and  do  not  readily  catch  the 
blaze,  but  a  dry  piece  of  wood  is  easily  kindled.  Prayerless 
souls  are  dry  pieces  of  wood — they  are  ready  for  the  burning. 

III.  Where  the  soul  looks  in  conversion: — "  They  shall  look 
upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced."  When  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
really  working  in  the  heart,  he  makes  the  man  look  to  a  pierced 
Christ.  Wherever  he  goes,  this  is  the  prominent  object  in  his 
eye — Christ  whom  he  has  pierced.  Satan  would  make  a  man  look 
anywhere  rather  than  to  Christ.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  false 
conversion.  Satan  sometim.es  stirs  people  up  to  care  about  their 
souls.  He  makes  them  look  to  ministers,  or  books,  or  meetings, 
or  duties — to  feelings,  enlargement  in  prayer,  &c. ;  he  will  let 
them  look  to  anything  in  the  universe  except  to  one  object — "  the 
cross  of  Christ."  The  only  thing  he  hides  is  the  Gospel — the 
glorious  Gospel  of  Christ.  When  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  will 
not  let  the  soul  look  to  anything  else  but  to  Christ — a  pierced 
Christ. 

What  does  an  awakened  soul  see  there  ? 

1.  That  he  has  pierced  the  Son  of  God  hy  his  sins. — This  gives 
him  an  awful  sense  of  the  infinite  greatness  of  sin.  A  natural 
man  thinks  nothing  of  sin.  An  oath  or  a  lie  is  as  light  as  a  feather 
on  many  of  your  consciences.  You  feel  it  no  burden,  even  if 
there  were  a  million  of  them  lying  upon  your  soul.  You  can 
sleep  easily  under  all  your  sins.  But  if  your  eyes  were  opened  to 
look  at  a  pierced  Christ,  you  would  see  that  the  load  is  infinite. 
Ah !  sec  there — God  did  not  spare  Christ.  Though  he  had  no 
sin  of  his  own — nothing  but  imputed  sin — yet  see  what  infinite 
wrath  was  poured  upon  him  ! — see  what  arrows  pierced  his  holy 
soul !  The  nails  pierced  his  spotless  hands  and  feet ;  but  all  the 
arrows  of  God  were  drinking  up  his  spirit.  Will  God  spare  you, 
then,  if  you  die  under  your  own  sins,  when  these  sins  are  your 
own  act  and  deed  ? 

Think  again :  Christ  was  God.  That  pale  sufferer  is  the  "  mighty 
God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace  ;"  yet  see  how 
he  sinks  under  the  load  ;  see,  in  Gethsemane,  how  he  lies  trembling, 
sweating  great  drops  of  blood  ;  see  him  on  Calvary,  how  his  bones 
are  out  of  joint — how  his  head  is  bowed  in  dying  agony.     You 

22 


338  SERMON    LVIII. 

are  but  a  worm.  Can  you  bear  that  wra'th  ?  "  Can  thine  heart 
endure,  or  can  thine  hands  be  strong  in  the  day  that  I  shail  deal 
with  thee  ?"  Oli !  look  to  Christ,  sinners — look  to  a  pierced  Christ, 
and  mourn.  Nothing  will  break  your  heart  but  a  sight  of  Christ 
pierced  by  your  sins. 

2.  That  he  has  pierced  the  Son  of  God  hy  unbelief. — When  the 
Spirit  reveals  Christ  to  the  soul,  this  is  generally  the  bitterest  pang. 
An  unawakened  man  thinks  nothing  of  unbelief — he  does  not  care 
that  he  has  rejected  Christ  times  without  number.  Ministers  have 
preached  till  their  breath  is  spent,  beseeching  him  to  turn  and 
live  ;  Christ  hath  stood  all  the  day  long  with  his  hands  stretched 
out  ;  God  hath  waited  upon  that  man,  has  delayed  casting  him 
into  hell ;  still  he  is  an  unmelted  rebel.  Ah  !  when  the  Spirit 
awakes  that  man,  what  a  sight  he  sees  in  a  pierced  Christ !  Some 
of  you  are  saying  this  day  :  I  have  despised  that  glorious  One. 
He  would  often  have  gathered  me,  and  I  would  not.  God  has 
been  waiting  on  me  for  years.  Jesus  hath  been  knocking  at  my 
door,  and  I  would  never  let  him  in  :  and  now  I  fear  he  is  gone  for 
ever.  Yea,  some  of  you  may  feel  that  your  heart  is  unwilling  to 
take  him,  it  is  so  hard  and  dead.  All  the  more  lovely  he  appears, 
the  more  your  heart  is  pierced,  because  you  have  rejected  him. 
Ah,  there  is  no  grief  like  that  of  looking  to  a  pierced  Christ ! 

(1.)  It  is  a  hitter  grief — Did  you  ever  see  parents  mourning 
the  loss  of  their  only  son,  or  of  their  first-born  1  It  is  an  un- 
speakable sorrow.  Such  is  the  anguish  of  those  who  look  to  a 
pierced  Christ.  Indeed,  some  have  deeper  agony  than  others ; 
but  all  who  truly  look  to  Christ  are  in  bitterness. 

(2.)  It  is  a  lonely  grief — Indeed  it  will  not  be  restrained  any- 
where ;  and  they  are  wrong  who  condemn  rashly  intense  anxiety 
breaking  forth  even  in  public  ;  but  this  grief  seeks  the  shade — 
the  stricken  soul  seeks  to  be  alone  with  God,  or  with  a  few  like- 
minded.  David  Braincrd  mentions,  that  on  one  occasion,  when 
he  was  preaching  a  pierced  Christ  to  his  Indians,  the  power  of 
God  came  down  among  them  like  a  mighty  rushing  wind  :  "  Their 
concern  was  so  great,  each  for  himself,  that  none  seemed  to  take 
any  notice  of  those  about  him.  They  were,  to  their  own  appre- 
hension, as  much  retired  as  if  they  had  been  alone  in  the  thickest 
desert.     Every  one  was  praying  apart,  and  yet  altogether." 

Oh  !  dear  friends,  if  you  would  really  look  to  a  pierced  Christ, 
you  would  be  in  anguish  of  soul  to  obtain  an  interest  in  him. 
Oh  !  see  how  you  have  slighted  him  in  the  days  gone  by.  In 
youth — at  the  Sabbath  school,  as  little  children,  how  you  have  re- 
fused him  !  When  you  first  came  to  the  Lord's  table,  he  stood  a 
pierced  Saviour  before  your  eyes ;  yet  you  neglected  him,  and 
trampled  him  below  your  feet.  And  are  you  coming  this  day  to 
pierce  him  over  again — to  drive  the  nails  again  into  his  hands — 
the  spear  into  his  side — the  thorns  into  his  brow  ?  Oh,  stop,  sin- 
ner !   you  are  piercing  one  who  loves  you,  killing  the  Prince  of 


SERMON    LVIII. 

Life,  neglecting  the  only  Saviour.  If  you  reject  him  to-day,  you 
may  never  see  him  again  till  you  see  him  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
and  wail  because  of  him. 

Dear  believers,  remember  how  you  pierced  him  ;  let  bitter  herbs 
sweeten  your  passover — let  a  bitter  remembrance  of  past  sin  make 
Christ  the  more  precious. 

IV.  A  fountain  is  seen  in  a  pierced  Christ. 

The  first  look  to  Christ  makes  the  sinner  mourn  ;  the  second 
look  to  Christ  makes  the  sinner  rejoice.  When  the  soul  looks  first 
to  Christ,  he  sees  half  of  the  truth,  he  sees  the  wrath  of  God 
against  sin,  that  God  is  holy,  and  must  avenge  sin,  that  he  can  by 
no  means  clear  the  guilty,  he  sees  that  God's  wrath  is  infinite. 
When  he  looks  to  Christ  agnin,  he  sees  the  other  half  of  the 
truth,  the  love  of  God  to  the  lost,  that  God  has  provided  a  surety 
free  to  all.  It  is  this  that  fills  the  soul  with  joy.  Oh,  it  is  strange, 
that  the  same  object  should  break  the  heart  and  heal  it !  A  look 
to  Christ  wounds,  a  look  to  Christ  heals.  Many,  I  fear,  have  only 
a  half  look  at  Christ,  and  this  causes  only  grief.  Many  are  slow 
of  heart  to  believe  all  that  is  spoken  concerning  Jesus.  They 
believe  all  except  that  he  is  free  to  them.  They  do  not  see  this 
glorious  truth,  "  That  a  crucified  Jesus  is  free  to  every  sinner  in 
the  world" — that  Christ's  all  is  free  to  all. 

When  the  Spirit  is  teaching,  he  gives  a  full  look  at  Christ,  a 
look  to  him  alone  for  righteousness.  What  does  the  sinner  see? 
The  Wounds  of  Christ,  a  fountain  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness. 
Oh,  trembling  sinners,  come  and  get  this  look  at  Christ !  come 
and  see  a  fountain  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness,  opened  on  Calvary 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  "  I  cannot,  for  my  sins  are  very 
great."  Are  you  all  sin  and  uncleanness,  nothing  but  sin,  a  lump 
of  sin?  in  your  life,  in  your  heart,  are  you  one  bundle  of  lusts  ? 
Here  is  a  fountain  opened  for  you  ;  look  to  a  pierced  Christ,  and 
weep  ;  look  to  a  pierced  Christ,  and  be  glad.  "  I  cannot  wash." 
To  look  is  to  wash.  No  sooner  is  the  eye  turned  than  the  filthy 
garments  fall. 

The  fountain  is  opened  up  in  this  house  of  God  to-day.  At  the 
very  entrance  to  the  tables,  Jesus  stands  and  says,  "  Whosoever 
will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Are  you  willing?  do 
you  look  to  him  alone  for  righteousness  ?  Then,  come  thus 
washed  to  the  Lord's  table,  in  the  very  garment  you  shall  wear  in 
glory.  Sit  with  your  eye  upon  the  fountain.  Oh,  prize  it  highly ! 
What  do  you  not  owe  to  him  who  saves  you  from  being  cast 
away ! 

Some  would  go  past  the  fountain  to  the  table.  Take  heed, 
ungodly  man  !  Will  you  dare  to  sit  there  with  unpardoned  sin 
upon  you  ?  will  you  venture  to  touch  the  bread,  and  your  soul 
unwashed?     Ah,  you  will  bitterly  rue  it  one  day  !     Some,  I  trust, 


340  SERMON    LIX. 

■will  remember  this  day  in  glory  ;  some,  I  fear,  will  remember  this 

day  in  hell. 

St  Peter's,  ^pril  19,  1840.— (Action  Sermon.)  ■*; 


SERMON  LIX. 

I    SLEEP,    BUT    MY    HEART    WAKETH. 

"  I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh :  it  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved  that  knocketh,  say- 
ing. Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  love,  my  dove,  my  undefiled :  for  my  head  is 
filled  with  dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night,"  &c. — Song  v.,  2,  to 
the  end. 

The  passage  I  have  read  forms  one  of  the  dramatical  songs  of 
which  this  wonderful  book  is  composed.  The  subject  of  it  is  a 
conversation  between  a  forsaken  and  desolate  wife  and  the 
daughters  of  Jerusalem.  First  of  all,  she  relates  to  them  how, 
through  slothfulness,  she  had  turned  away  her  lord  from  the  door. 
He  had  been  absent  on  a  journey  from  home,  and  did  not  return 
till  night.  Instead  of  anxiously  sitting  up  for  her  husband,  she 
had  barred  the  door,  and  slothfally  retired  to  rest :  "  I  slept,  but 
my  heart  was  waking."  In  this  half-sleeping,  half-waking  frame, 
she  heard  the  voice  of  her  beloved  husband  :  •'  Open  to  me,  my 
sister,  my  love,  my  dove,  my  undefiled  ;  for  my  head  is  filled  with 
dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  di'ops  of  the  night."  But  sloth  pre- 
vailed with  her,  and  she  would  not  open,  but  answered  him  with 
foolish  excuses :  "  I  have  put  off  my  coat ;  how  shall  I  put  it  on  1 
I  have  washed  my  feet ;  how  shall  I  defile  them  ?" 

2.  She  next  tells  them  her  grief  and  anxiety  to  find  her  lord. 
He  tried  the  bolt  of  the  door,  but  it  was  fastened.  This  wakened 
her  thoi'oughly.  She  ran  to  the  door  and  opened,  but  her  beloved 
had  withdrawn  himself,  and  was  gone.  She  listened,  she  sought 
about  the  door  ;  she  called,  but  he  gave  no  answer.  She  followed 
him  through  the  streets ;  but  the  watchmen  found  her,  and  smote 
her,  and  took  away  her  veil ;  and  now  with  the  morning  light  she 
appears  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  and  anxiously  beseeches 
them  to  help  her :  "  I  charge  you,  if  ye  find  him  whom  my  soul 
loveth,  that  ye  tell  him  that  I  am  sick  of  love." 

3,  The  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  astonished  at  her  extreme 
anxiety,  ask  :  "  What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  beloved  ?" 
This  gives  opportunity  to  the  desolate  bride  to  enlarge  on  the 
perfections  of  her  lord,  which  she  does  in  a  strain  of  the  richest 
descriptiveness,  the  heart  filling  fuller  and  fuller  as  she  proceeds, 
till  she  says :  "  This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend,  O  ye 
daughters  of  Jerusalem  !"  They  seem  to  be  entranced  by  the 
description,  and  are  now  as  anxious  as  herself  to  join  in  the  search 


SERMON    LIX.  341 

after  this  altogether  lovely  one.  "  Whither  js  thy  beloved  gone, 
O  thou  fairest  among  women  ?  whither  is  thy  beloved  turned  aside, 
that  we  may  seek  him  with  thee  ?" 

Such  is  the  simple  narrative  before  us.  But  you  will  see  at 
once  that  there  is  a  deeper  meaning  beneath;  that  the  narrative  is 
only  a  beautiful  transparent  veil,  through  which  every  intelligent 
child  of  God  may  trace  some  of  the  most  common  experiences  in 
the  life  of  the  believer.  (1.)  The  desolate  bride  is  the  believing 
soul.  (2.)  The  daughters  of  Jerusalem  are  fellow-believers.  (3.) 
The  watchmen  are  ministers.  (4.)  And  the  altogether  lovely  one 
is  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

I.  Believers  often  miss  opportunities  of  communion  with  Christ 
through  slothfuiness. 

1.  Observe,  Christ  is  seeMng  believers. — It  is  true  that  Christ  is 
seeking  unconverted  souls.  He  stretches  out  his  hands  all  the 
day  to  a  gainsaying  and  disobedient  people  ;  he  is  the  Shepherd 
that  seeks  the  lost  sheep ;  but  it  is  as  true  that  he  is  seeking  his 
own  people  also,  that  he  may  make  his  abode  with  them,  that  their 
joy  may  be  full.  Christ  is  not  done  with  a  soul  when  he  has 
brought  it  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  It  is  only  then  that  he  be- 
gins his  regular  visits  to  the  soul.  In  the  daily  reading  of  the 
Word,  Christ  pays  daily  visits  to  sanctify  the  believing  soul.  In 
daily  prayer,  Christ  reveals  himself  to  his  own  in  that  other  way 
than  he  doth  to  the  world.  In  the  house  of  God  Christ  comes  in 
to  his  own,  and  says  :  "  Peace  be  unto  you  !"  And  in  the  sacra- 
ment he  makes  himself  known  to  them  in  the  breaking  of  bread, 
and  they  cry  out :  "  It  is  the  Lord  !"  These  are  all  trysting  times, 
when  the  Saviour  comes  to  visit  his  own. 

2.  Observe,  Christ  also  knocks  at  the  door  of  believers. — Even 
believers  have  got  doors  upon  their  hearts.  You  would  think, 
perhaps,  that  when  once  Christ  had  found  an  entrance  into  a  poor 
sinner's  heart,  he  never  would  find  difficulty  in  getting  in  any 
more.  You  would  think  that  as  Samson  carried  off  the  gates  of 
Gaza,  bar  and  all,  so  Christ  would  carry  away  all  the  gates  and 
bars  from  believing  hearts;  but  no,  there  is  still  a  door  on  the 
heart,  and  Christ  stands  and  knocks.  He  would  fain  be  in.  It  is 
not  his  pleasure  that  we  should  sit  lonely  and  desolate.  He  would 
fain  come  in  to  us,  and  sup  with  us,  and  we  with  him. 

3.  Observe,  Christ  speaks:  "Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  love, 
my  dove,  my  undefiled."  O  what  a  meeting  of  tender  words  is 
here  !  all  applied  to  a  poor  sinner  who  has  believed  in  Christ.  (1.) 
*'  My  sister ;"  for  you  remember  how  Jesus  stretched  his  hand 
towards  his  disciples,  and  said :  "  Behold  my  mother  and  my  bre- 
thren ;"  for  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father,  the  same  is 
my  brother,  and  my  sister,  and  my  mother."  (2.)  "  My  love,"  for 
you  know  how  he  loved  sinners,  left  heaven  out  of  love,  lived, 
died,  rose  again,  out  of  love,  for  poor  sinners ;  and  when  one 


342  SERMON    LIX. 

believes  on  him,  he  calls  him  "  my  love.  (3.)  "  My  dove ;"  for 
you  know  that  when  a  sinner  believes  in  Jesus,  the  holy  dove-like 
Spirit  is  given  him  ;  so  Jesus  calls  that  soul  "  My  dove."  (4.) 
"  My  undefiled  ;"  strangest  name  of  all  to  give  to  a  poor  defiled 
sinner.  But  you  remember  how  Jesus  was  holy,  harmless,  and 
undefiled.  He  was  that  in  our  stead  ;  when  a  poor  sinner  believes 
in  him,  he  is  looked  on  as  undefiled.  Christ  says  :  "  My  undefiled." 
Such  arc  the  winning  words  with  which  Christ  desires  to  gain  an 
entrance  into  the  believer's  heart.  Oh,  how  strange  that  any 
heart  could  stand  out  against  all  this  love  ! 

4.  Observe,  Christ  waits :  "  My  head  is  filled  with  dew,  and  my 
locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night."  Christ's  patience  with  uncon- 
verted souls  is  very  wonderful.  Day  after  day  he  pleads  with 
them  :  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  ?"  Never  did  beggar 
stand  longer  at  a  rich  man's  gate,  than  Jesus,  the  almighty  Sa- 
viour, stands  at  the  gate  of  sinful  worms.  But  his  patience  with 
his  own  is  still  more  wonderful  ;  they  know  his  preciousness,  and 
yet  will  not  let  him  in ;  their  sin  is  all  the  greater,  and  yet  he 
waits  to  be  gracious. 

5.  Believers  are  vften  slothful  at  these  trysting  times,  and  put 
the  Saviour  away  with  many  vain  excuses.  (1.)  The  hour  of  daily 
devotion  is  a  trysting  hour  with  Christ,  in  which  he  seeks,  and 
knocks,  and  speaks,  and  waits  ;  and  yet,  dear  believers,  how  often 
you  are  slothful  and  make  vain  excuses  !  You  have  something 
else  to  attend  to,  or  you  are  set  upon  some  worldly  comfort,  and 
you  do  not  let  the  Saviour  in.  (2.)  The  Lord's  table  is  the  most 
famous  trysting-place  with  Christ.  It  is  then  that  believers  hear 
him  knocking,  saying  :  "  Open  to  me."  How  often  is  this  oppor- 
tunity lost  through  slothfulness,  through  want  of  stirring  up  the 
gift  that  is  in  us ;  through  want  of  attention  ;  through  thoughts 
about  worldly  things ;  through  unwillingness  to  take  trouble 
about  it ! 

"  I  have  put  off  my  coat ;  how  shall  I  put  it  on  ? 
I  have  washed  my  feet ;  how  shall  I  defile  them  ? " 

Doubtless,  there  are  some  children  of  God  here,  who  did  not 
find  Christ  last  Sabbath-day  at  this  table ;  who  went  away  unre- 
freshcd  and  uncomforted.  See  here  the  cause  :  it  was  your  own 
slothfulness.  Christ  was  knocking  ;  but  you  would  not  let  him  in. 
Do  not  go  about  to  blame  God  i'or  it.  Search  your  own  heart, 
and  you  will  find  the  true  cause.  Perhaps  you  came  without  de- 
liberation, without  self-examination  and  prayer,  without  duly  stir- 
ring up  faith.  Perhaps  you  were  thinking  about  your  worldly 
gains  and  losses,  and  you  missed  the  Saviour.  Remember,  then, 
the  fault  is  yours,  not  Christ's.  He  was  knocking  ;  you  would  not 
let  him  in. 

II.  Believers  in  darkness  cannot  rest  without  Christ. 


SERMON    LIX.  343 

In  the  parable  we  find  that,  when  the  bride  found  her  husband 
was  gone,  she  did  not  return  to  her  rest.  Oh,  no  !  her  soul  failed 
for  his  word.  She  listens,  she  seeks,  she  calls.  She  receives  no 
answer.  She  asks  the  watchmen,  but  they  wound  her,  and  take 
away  her  veil ;  still  she  is  not  broken  off  from  seeking.  She  sets 
the  daufihters  of  Jerusalem  to  seek  along  with  her. 

So  is  it  with  the  believer.  When  the  slothful  believer  is  really 
awakened  to  feel  that  Christ  has  withdrawn  himself,  and  is  gone, 
he  is  slothful  no  longer.  Believers  remain  at  ease  only  so  long 
as  they  flatter  themselves  that  all  is  well;  but  if  they  are  made 
sensible,  by  a  fall  into  sin,  or  by  a  fresh  discovery,  of  the  wicked- 
edness  of  their  heart,  that  Christ  is  away  from  them,  they  cannot 
rest.  The  world  can  rest  quite  well,  even  while  they  know  that 
they  are  not  in  Christ.  Satan  lulls  them  into  fatal  repose.  Not 
so  the  believer ;  he  cannot  rest.  1.  He  does  all  he  can  do  him- 
self He  listens,  he  seeks,  he  calls.  The  Bible  is  searched  with 
fresh  anxiety.  The  soul  seeks  and  calls  by  prayer  ;  yet  often  all 
in  vain.  He  gets  no  answer,  no  sense  of  Christ's  presence.  2. 
He  comes  to  ministers — God's  watchmen  on  the  walls  of  Zion. 
They  deal  plainly  and  faithfully  with  the  backslidden  soul — take 
away  the  veil,  and  show  him  his  sin.  The  soul  is  thus  smitten 
and  wounded,  and  without  a  covering ;  and  yet  it  does  not  give 
over  its  search  for  Christ.  A  mere  natural  heart  would  fall  away 
under  this  ;  not  so  the  believer  in  darkness.  3.  He  applies  to 
Christian  friends  and  companions ;  bids  them  help  him,  and  pray 
for  him  ;  "  I  charge  you,  O  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  if  ye  find 
him  whom  my  soul  loveth,  tell  him  that  I  am  sick  of  love." 

Is  there  any  of  you,  then,  a  believer  in  darkness,  thus  anxiously 
seeking  Christ  1  You  thought  that  you  had  really  been  a  believer 
in  Jesus  ;  but  you  have  fallen  into  sin  and  darkness,  and  all  your 
evidences  are  overclouded.  You  are  now  anxiously  seeking 
Christ.  Your  soul  fails  for  his  Word.  You  seek,  you  call,  even 
though  you  get  no  answer.  You  do  search  the  Bible,  even  though 
it  is  without  comfort  to  you.  You  do  pray,  though  you  have  no 
comfort  in  prayer,  no  confidence  that  you  are  heard.  You  ask 
counsel  of  his  ministers,  and  when  they  deal  plainly  with  you,  you 
are  not  offended.  They  wound  you,  and  take  away  the  veil  from 
you.  They  tell  you  not  to  rely  on  any  past  experiences,  that  they 
may  have  been  delusive,  they  only  increase  your  anxiety ;  still 
you  follow  hard  after  Christ.  You  seek  the  daughters  of  Jerusa- 
lem, them  that  are  the  people  of  Christ,  and  you  tell  them  to  pray 
for  you. 

Is  this  your  case  1  As  face  answers  to  face,  so  do  you  see  your 
own  image  here  ?  Do  you  feel  that  you  cannot  I'est  out  of  Christ  ? 
then  do  not  be  too  much  cast  down.  This  is  no  mark  that  you 
are  not  a  believer,  but  the  very  reverse.     Say  : 

"  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul  ? 
Why  art  thou  disquieted  in  me  ? 


344  SERMON    LIX. 

Still  trust  in  God  :  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him, 

Who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  God." 

Is  tnere  any  of  you  awakened  since  last  Sabbath-day,  by  some 
fall  into  sin,  to  feel  that  Christ  is  away  from  you  ?  Doubtless, 
there  must  be  some  who,  within  this  little  week,  have  found  out 
that,  though  they  ate  bread  with  Christ,  they  have  lifted  up  the 
heel  against  him.  And  are  you  sitting  down  contented — without 
anxiety?  Have  you  fallen,  and  do  you  not  get  up  and  run, 
that  if  possible,  you  may  find  Christ  again  ?  Ah,  then  !  I  stand 
in  doubt  of  you  ;  or  rather,  there  is  no  need  of  doubt ;  you  never 
have  known  the  Saviour — you  are  none  of  his. 

III.  Believers  in  darkness  are  sick  of  love,  and  full  of  the  com- 
mendation of  Christ — more  than  ever. 

In  the  parable,  the  bride  told  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  that 
she  was  sick  of  love.  This  was  the  message  she  bade  them  carry  ; 
and  when  they  asked  her  about  her  beloved,  she  gave  them  a  rich 
and  glowing  description  of  his  perfect  beauty,  ending  by  saying : 
"  He  is  altogether  lovely." 

So  is  it  with  the  believer  in  time  of  darkness :  "  He  is  sick  of 
love."  When  Christ  is  present  to  the  soul,  there  is  no  feeling  of 
sickness.  Christ  is  the  health  of  the  countenance.  When  I  have 
him  full  in  my  faith  as  a  complete  surety,  a  calm  tranquillity  is 
spread  over  the  whole  inner  man  ;  the  pulse  of  the  soul  has  a 
calm  and  easy  flow  ;  the  heart  rests  in  a  present  Saviour  with  a 
healthy,  placid  affection.  The  soul  is  contented  with  him  ;  at  rest 
in  him" :  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul."  There  is  no  feeling 
of  sickness.  It  is  health  to  the  bones  ;  it  is  the  very  health  of  the 
soul  to  look  upon  him,  and  to  love  him.  But  when  the  object  of 
affection  is  away,  the  heart  turns  sick.  When  the  heart  searches 
here  and  there,  and  cannot  find  the  beloved  object,  it  turns  faint 
with  longing :  "  Hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick."  When 
the  ring-dove  has  lost  its  mate,  it  sits  lone  and  cheerless,  and  will 
not  be  comforted.  When  the  bird  that  hath  been  robbed  of  its 
young,  comes  back  again  and  again,  and  hovers  with  reluctant 
wing  over  the  spot  where  her  nest  was  built,  she  fills  the  grove 
with  her  plaintive  melodies — she  is  "  sick  of  love."  These  are  the 
yearnings  of  nature.  Such  also  are  the  yearnings  of  grace. 
When  Jesus  is  away  from  the  believing  soul  it  will  not  be  com- 
forted. When  the  soul  reads,  and  prays,  and  seeks,  yet  Jesus  is 
not  found,  the  heart  yearns  and  sickens — he  is  "  sick  of  love." 
"  Hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick." 

Did  you  ever  feel  this  sickness  ?  Did  you  ever  feel  that  Christ 
was  precious,  but  not  present ;  that  you  could  not  lay  hold  on 
Christ  as  you  used  to  do,  and  yet  your  soul  yearned  after  him,  and 
would  not  be  comforted  without  him  ?  If  you  have — 1.  Remem- 
ber it  is  a  happy  sickness  ;  it  is  a  sickness  not  of  nature  at  all,  but 
of  grace.     All  the  struggles  of  nature  would  never  make  you  "  sick 


SERMON    LIX.  345 

of  love."  Never  may  you  be  cured  of  it,  except  it  be  in  the  re- 
vealing of  Jesus  !  2.  Remember  it  is  not  best  to  be  "  sick  of 
love  ;"  it  is  better  to  be  in  health,  to  have  Christ  revealed  to  the 
soul,  and  to  love  him  with  a  free,  healthy  love.  In  heaven,  the 
inhabitants  never  say  they  are  sick.  Do  not  rest  in  this  sickness  ; 
press  near  to  Jesus  to  be  healed.  3.  Most,  I  fear,  never  felt  this 
sickness  ;  know  nothing  of  what  it  means.  Oh  !  dear  souls,  re- 
member this  one  thing :  If  you  never  felt  the  sickness  of  grace, 
it  is  too  likely  you  never  felt  the  life  of  grace.  If  you  were  told 
of  a  man,  that  he  never  felt  any  pain  or  uneasiness  of  any  kind  all 
his  days,  you  would  conclude  that  he  must  have  been  dead — that 
he  never  had  any  life  ;  so  you,  if  you  know  nothing  of  the  sick 
yearnings  of  the  believer's  heart,  it  is  too  plain  that  you  are  dead  ; 
that  you  never  have  had  any  life. 

Last  of  all,  the  believer  in  darkness  commends  the  Saviour. 
There  is  no  more  distinguishing  mark  of  a  true  believer  than  this. 
To  the  unav/akened  there  is  no  form  nor  comeliness  in  Christ ;  no 
beauty  that  they  should  desire  him.  Even  awakened  souls  have 
no  true  sense  of  Christ's  perfect  comeliness.  If  they  saw  how 
Christ  answers  then-  need,  they  could  not  be  anxious.  But  to  be- 
lievers in  darkness  there  is  all  comeliness  in  Christ ;  he  is  fairer 
than  ever  he  was  before.  And  when  the  sneering  world,  or  cold- 
hearted  brethren,  ask  :  "  What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another 
beloved  ?''  he  delights  to  enumerate  his  perfections,  his  person, 
his  offices,  his  everything  ;  he  delights  to  tell  that  "  he  is  the  chief- 
est  among  ten  thousand" — "his  mouth  is  most  sweet" — yea,  "he 
is  altogether  lovely." 

A  word  to  believers  in  darkness. — There  may  be  some  who  are 
walking  in  darkness,  not  having  any  light.  Be  persuaded  to  do  as 
the  bride  did  ;  not  only  to  seek  your  beloved,  but  to  commend 
him,  by  going  over  his  perfections. 

1.  Because  this  is  the  best  of  all  ways  to  find  him.  One  of  the 
chief  reasons  of  your  darkness  is  your  want  of  considering  Christ. 
Satan  urges  you  to  think  of  a  hundred  things  before  he  will  let 
you  think  about  Christ.  If  the  eye  of  your  faith  be  fully  turned 
upon  a  full  Christ,  your  darkness  will  be  gone  in  the  instant. 
"  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved."  Now,  nothing  so  much  en- 
gages your  eye  to  look  at  Christ  as  going  over  his  perfections  to 
others. 

2.  Because  you  will  lead  others  to  seek  him  with  you.  Oh  ! 
dear  brethren,  the  great  reason  of  our  having  so  many  dark  Chris- 
tians nowadays,  is,  that  we  have  so  many  selfish  Christians.  Men 
live  for  themselves.  If  you  would  live  for  others,  then  your  dark- 
ness would  soon  flee  away.  Commend  Christ  to  others,  and  they 
will  go  with  you.  Parents,  commend  him  to  your  children  ;  chil- 
dren, commend  him  to  your  parents,  and  who  knows  but  God  may 


346  SERMON    LX. 

bless  the  word,  even  of  a  believer  walking  in  darkness,  that  they 
shall  cry  out : 

"  Whither  is  thy  beloved  gone,  0  thou  fairest  among  women  ? 
Whither  is  thy  beloved  turned  aside,  that  we  may  seek  him  with  thee  ?" 

St.  Peter's,  1837. 


SERMON  LX. 

A    THORN    IN    THE    FLESH. 

"  And  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure  through  the  abundance  of  the  reve- 
lations, there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure.  For  this  thing  I  besought  the 
Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart  from  me.  And  he  said  unto  me.  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee :  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly 
therefore  will  1  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me.  Therefore  1  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  necessities, 
in  persecutions,  in  distresses  for  Christ's  sake  :  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I 
strong." — 2  Cor.  xii.,  7-10. 

What  is  contained  in  this  passage  ?  I.  Paul's  wonderful  privi- 
lege ;  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  and  into  paradise;  got  a 
day's  foretaste  of  glory  ;  saw  and  heard  wonderful  things.  II. 
Paul's  humbling  visitation ;  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  He  had  been  in 
the  world  of  spirits,  where  is  no  sin  ;  now  he  was  made  to  feel 
that  he  had  a  body  of  sin — to  cry,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  ! 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  He  had  been 
among  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  ;  now  one  from  hell  is  allowed 
to  buffet  him.  III.  His  conduct  under  it ;  fervent  repeated  prayer. 
"  I  besought  (marking  his  earnestness)  thrice  ;"  no  answer  ;  still 
he  prayed.  Before,  he  was  more  engaged  in  praise,  or  thinking 
of  telling  others ;  now  he  is  brought  to  cry  for  his  own  soul,  lest 
he  should  be  a  "castaway.  The  answer  :  '•  My  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee."  God  does  not  pluck  the  thorn  away  ;  does  not  drive  the 
devil  back  to  hell ;  does  not  take  him  out  of  the  body.  No  ;  but  he 
opens  his  own  breast,  and  says,  Look  here  ;  here  is  grace  enough  for 
thee  ;  here  is  strength  that  will  hold  up  the  weakest.  IV.  Paul's 
resolulion  ;  to  go  on  his  way  glorifying  in  his  infirmities.  He  is 
contented  to  have  infirmities,  to  have  a  body  of  sin,  in  order  that 
Christ  may  be  glorified  in  holding  up  such  a  weak  vessel  :  That 
the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  continually  on  my  soul ;  that  his 
mighty  hand  may  have  one  to  hold  up  to  his  own  praise.  1  take 
pleasure  in  all  humbling  dispensations ;  for  they  teach  me  that  I 
have  no  strength,  and  then  I  am  strongest. 

L  PauVs  wonderful  privilege. 


SERMON    LX.  347 

He  had  gained  a  glorious  foretaste  of  heaven  given  to  him.  It 
was  a  wonderful  season  to  his  soul.  He  was  caught  up  to  the 
third  heaven,  or  to  paradise.  He  was  taken  up  to  the  Father's 
house  with  many  mansions.  He  was  taken  up  to  be  with  Jesus  and 
the  saved  thief  in  paradise.  Much  he  could  not  tell.  How  it  was, 
whether  he  was  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body,  he  could  not  tell. 
The  words  he  heard,  the  words  of  the  Fatner,  the  words  of  Je- 
sus, the  songs  of  the  redeemed,  and  of  the  holy  angels,  they  were 
'  unspeakable.  Still,  he  could  never  forget  that  day.  Fourteen 
years  had  gone  over  his  head,  and  yet  it  was  fresh  in  his  remem- 
brance. The  sights  he  saw,  the  words  he  heard,  he  never  could 
forget.     It  was  just  a  day  of  glory,  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 

Dear  believers,  you  also  have  wonderful  privileges.  You  also 
have  your  foretastes  of  heaven.  You  may  not  have  the  miracu- 
lous visions  of  paradise  which  Paul  here  speaks  of;  yet  you  have 
tasted  the  very  joy  that  is  in  heaven  ;  drunk  of  the  very  river  of 
God's  pleasures.  If  you  have  known  the  Lord  Jesus,  you  know  him 
who  is  the  pearl  of  heaven,  the  sun  and  centre  of  it.  If  you  have 
the  Father's  smile,  you  have  the  very  joy  of  heaven.  Above  all, 
if  you  have  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelling  in  you,  you  have  the  earnest 
of  the  inheritance.  On  such  days  as  last  communion  Sabbath, 
are  not  the  joys  of  a  Christian  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory? 
"  Whom  having  not  seen  we  love."  Are  not  such  days  to  be 
looked  back  upon  ?  Even  fourteen  years  after,  when  many  will  be 
gone  to  the  table  above,  some  will  look  back  to  last  Sabbath  as  a  day 
spent  in  his  courts,  better  than  a  thousand.  To  those  of  you  who 
get  no  joy  on  such  occasions,  what  can  we  say,  but  that  you  would 
get  no  joy  in  heaven  !  If  you  are  not  made  glad  at  the  table  be- 
low, you  will  never,  I  fear,  be  made  glad  at  the  table  above. 

II.  PauVs  humbling  visitation. — Verse  7. 

1.  What  was  given  him. 

The  thorn  in  the  flesh  here  spoken  of  is  variously  understood 
by  interpreters,  (1.)  Some  understand  it  to  have  been  a  bodily 
disease  ;  some  sharp-shooting  pains  which  were  given  him.  Pain 
and  disease  are  very  humbling.  They  are  often  used  by  God  to  . 
bring  down  the  lofty  spirit  of  man.  (2)  Some  understand  by  it 
some  remarkable  temptation  to  sin  immediately  from  the  hand  of 
the  devil.  A  messenger  from  Satan  which  was  like  a  thorn  in  his 
•  soul.  (3.)  Some  understand  it  to  have  been  some  besetting  sin, 
some  part  of  his  body  of  sin  of  which  he  complains  so  sore 
(Rom.  vii.) — some  lust  of  his  old  man  stirred  up  to  activity  by  a 
messenger  of  Satan.  It  seems  most  probable  that  this  was  the 
thorn  that  made  him  groan. 

Whatever  it  was,  one  thing  is  plain,  it  was  a  truly  humbling 
visit.  It  brought  Paul  to  the  dust.  A  little  before,  he  had  been 
in  the  sinless  world,  he  felt  no  body  of  sin,  saw  the  pure  spirits 
before  the  throne,  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect ;  now, 


348  SERMON    LX. 

he  is  brought  down  to  feel  that  he  has  a  body  of  sin  and  death, 
he  has  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  A  httle  before,  he  was  among  holy 
angels,  trampling  hell  and  the  grave  below  his  feet ;  now,  a  mes- 
senger from  hell  is  sent  to  buffet  him.     "  O  wretched  man  !" 

Ques.  Why  was  this  given  him  ?  Ans.  Lest  he  should  be  ex- 
alted above  measure.  This  is  twice  stated.  What  a  singular 
thing  is  pride  !  Who  would  have  thought  that  taking  Paul  into 
paradise  for  a  day  would  have  made  him  proud  ?  and  yet  God, 
who  knew  his  heart,  knew  it  would  be  so,  and  therefore  brought 
him  down  to  the  dust.  The  pride  of  nature  is  wonderful.  A 
natural  man  is  proud  of  anything.  Proud  of  his  person,  although 
he  did  not  make  it,  yet  he  prides  himself  upon  his  looks.  Proud 
of  his  dress,  although  a  block  of  wood  might  have  the  same  cause 
for  pride,  if  you  would  put  the  clothes  on  it.  Proud  of  riches, 
as  if  there  were  some  merit  in  having  more  gold  than  others. 
Proud  of  rank,  as  if  there  were  some  merit  in  having  noble  blood. 
Alas !  pride  flows  in  the  veins  ;  yet,  there  is  a  pride  more  wonder- 
ful than  that  of  nature — pride  of  grace.  You  would  think  a  man 
never  could  be  proud  who  had  once  seen  himself  lost ;  yet,  alas  ! 
Scripture  and  experience  show  that  a  man  may  be  proud  of  his 
measure  of  grace ;  proud  of  forgiveness :  proud  of  humility ; 
proud  of  knowing  more  of  God  than  others  It  was  this  that  was 
springing  up  in  Paul's  heart  when  God  sent  him  the  thorn  in  the 
flesh. 

Dear  friends,  some  of  you  last  Lord's  day  were  brought  very 
near  to  God,  and  filled  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
Some,  I  am  persuaded,  have  since  then  had  Paul's  humbling  expe- 
rience. You  thought  that  you  were  for  ever  away  from  sin,  but 
a  thorn  in  the  flesh  has  brought  you  low.  You  have  fallen  into 
sin  during  the  week ;  or  something  has  brought  you  low  indeed. 
"O  wretched  man !"  Why  do  you  thus  fall  after  a  communion  sea- 
son ?  I.  To  make  you  humble ;  to  teach  you  what  a  vile  worm  you 
are,  when  you  can  go  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  yet  fall  so  low  ;  this 
may  well  teach  you  that  you  are  vile.  You  thought,  perhaps,  that 
sin  was  clean  away,  but  here  you  see  it  is  again.  What  constant 
need  you  have  of  Jesus'  blood  !  2.  To  make  you  long  for  heaven. 
There  we  shall  sin  no  more  for  ever.  Nothing  but  holiness  there. 
No  unclean  thing  can  enter.  Oh,  press  forward  to  it !  Do  not 
sit  down  by  the  way.     Look  forward  to  glory. 

III.  Paul's  remedy — prayer. 

Here  is  the  diflerence  between  a  natural  man  and  a  child  of 
God.  Both  have  the  thorn  in  the  flesh  ;  but  a  natural  man  is  con- 
tented witli  it.  His  lusts  do  not  vex  and  trouble  him.  A  child  of 
God  cannot  rest  under  the  power  of  temptation.  He  flies  to  his 
knees.  The  moment  Paul  felt  the  buffetings  of  Satan's  messenger, 
he  fell  upon  his  knees,  praying  his  Father  to  take  it  away  from  him. 
No  answer  came.     Again  he  goes  to  the  throne  of  grace.    Again 


SERMON    LX.  349 

no  answer.  A  third  time  he  falls  on  his  knees,  and  will  not  let 
God  go  without  the  blessing.  The  answer  comes :  "  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee."  Not  the  thing  he  asked.  He  asked  :  Take 
this  thorn  away.  God  does  not  piuck  it  out  of  his  flesh,  does  not 
drive  Satan's  messenger  back  to  hell.  He  could  have  done  this, 
but  he  does  not.  He  opens  his  own  bosom,  and  says :  Look  here. 
It  hath  pleased  the  Father  that  in  me  should  all  fulness  dwell ; 
"  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  Here  is  the  Holy  Spirit  for 
every  need  of  thy  soul.  Oh,  what  a  supply  did  Paul  then  see  in 
Christ !  What  unsearchable  riches  !  He  had  seen  much  in  the 
third  heaven,  but  here  was  something  more,  an  almighty  Spirit 
waiting  for  the  need  of  poor  weak  sinners. 

Dear  friends,  have  you  found  out  this  remedy  of  the  tempted 
soul?  1.  Have  you  Ijeen  driven  to  your  knees  by  temptation ? 
I  said,  the  week  before  the  communion  should  be  a  week  of  prayer ; 
but  if  you  have  had  Paul's  experience,  the  week  after  has  been 
one  of  prayer  also.  2.  Oh,  tempted  soul  !  be  importunate,  take 
no  denial.  Men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint.  Be  like 
the  importunate  widow,  the  Canaanitish  woman.  If  you  lie  down 
contented  under  sin,  you  may  well  fear  that  there  is  no  grace  in 
you.  3.  Take  Paul's  answer.  God  may  not  pluck  out  the  thorn. 
This  is  the  world  of  thorns.  But  look  into  his  breast.  There  is 
enough  in  Jesus  to  keep  thy  soul.  The  ocean  is  full  of  drops,  but 
Christ's  bosom  is  more  full  of  grace.  Oh  !  pray  either  that  your 
lusts  may  be  taken  away,  or  that  you  may  believe  the  grace  that 
is  in  Christ  Jesus. 

IV.  PauVs  determination. — Verses  9,  10. 

"  Most  gladly."  When  Paul  was  caught  up  into  paradise  he 
thought  he  would  never  again  feel  his  body  of  sin  ;  but  when  he 
was  humbled  and  made  to  know  himself  better,  and  to  know  the 
grace  that  is  in  Christ,  then  his  glory  ever  after  was,  that  he  had 
a  weak  body  of  sin  and  death,  and  that  there  was  power  enough 
in  Christ  to  keep  him  from  falling.  From  that  day  he  gloried  not 
that  he  had  no  sin  in  him,  but  that  he  had  an  almighty  Saviour 
dwelling  in  him  and  upholding  him.  He  took  pleasure  now  in 
everything  that  made  him  feel  his  weakness ;  for  this  drove  him 
to  Jesus  for  strength. 

Learn,  dear  brethren,  the  true  glory  of  a  Christian  in  this  world. 
The  world  knows  nothing  of  it.  A  true  Christian  has  a  body  of 
sin.  He  has  every  lust  and  corruption  that  is  in  the  heart  of  man 
or  devil.  He  wants  no  tendency  to  sin.  If  the  Lord  has  given 
you  light,  you  know  and  feel  this.  What  is  the  difference,  then, 
between  you  and  the  world  ?  Infinite  !  You  are  in  the  hand  of 
Christ.  His  Spirit  is  within  you.  He  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
falling.  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye  righteous  ;  and  shout  for  joy  all 
ye  that  are  upright  in  heart." 

St.  Peter's,  April  26,  1840 


350  SERMON    LXI. 


SERMON  LXI. 

SECOND    ADVENT. 

"  For  the  Son  )f  Man  is  a  man  taking  a  far  journey,  who  left  his  house,  and  gave 
authority  to  his  servants,  and  to  every  man  his  work,  and  commanded  the  porter 
to  watch.  Watch  ye  therefore  :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  master  of  the  house 
Cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cockcrowing,  or  in  the  morning  :  lest 
coming  suddenly  he  find  you  sleeping.  And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all, 
Watch."— Mark  xiii.,  34-37. 

The  Church  on  earth  is  Christ's  house:  "Who  left  his  house." 
— Verse  34.  This  parable  represents  the  Church  on  earth  as 
Christ's  house  or  dwelling. 

1.  Because  he  is  the  foundation  stone  of  it.  Just  as  every  stone 
of  a  building  rests  on  the  foundation,  so  does  every  believer  rest 
on  Christ.  He  is  the  foundation  rock  upon  which  they  rest.  If 
it  were  not  for  the  foundation,  the  whole  house  would  fall  into 
ruins — the  floods  and  winds  would  sweep  it  away.  If  it  were  not 
for  Christ,  all  believers  would  be  swept  away  by  God's  anger  ; 
but  they  are  rooted  and  built  up  in  him,  and  so  they  form  his 
house. 

2.  Because  he  is  the  builder.  (1.)  Every  stone  of  the  building 
has  been  placed  there  by  the  hands  of  Christ ;  Christ  has  taken 
every  stone  from  the  quarry.  Look  unto  the  rock  whence  ye 
were  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  ye  were  digged.  A 
natural  person  is  embedded  in  the  world  just  as  firmly  as  rock  in 
the  quarry,  the  hands  of  the  almighty  Saviour  alone  can  dig  out 
the  soul,  and  loosen  it  from  its  natural  state.  (2.)  Christ  has  car- 
ried it,  and  laid  it  on  the  foundation.  Even  when  a  stone  has  been 
quarried,  it  cannot  lift  itself;  it  needs  to  be  carried,  and  built  upon 
the  foundation.  So  when  a  natural  soul  has  been  wakened,  he 
cannot  build  himself  on  Christ ;  he  must  be  carried  on  the  shoul- 
der of  the  great  master  builder.  Every  stone  of  the  building  has 
been  thus  carried  by  Christ.  What  a  wonderful  building  !  Well 
may  it  be  called  Christ's  house,  when  he  builds  every  stone  of  it. 
See  that  ye  be  quarried  out  by  Christ ;  sec  to  it,  that  ye  be  car- 
ried by  him,  built  on  him  ;  then  you  will  be  an  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit. 

3.  Because  his  friends  are  here.  Wherever  a  man's  friends  are, 
that  is  his  home  ;  wherever  a  man's  mother  and  sisters  and 
brothers  dwell,  that  is  his  home  ;  this,  then,  must  be  Christ's  home, 
for  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  towards  his  disciples,  and  said : 
"Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren  ;  for  whosoever  shall  do  the 
will  of  my  father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and 
sister,  and  mother."  As  long  as  this  world  has  a  believer  in  it, 
Christ  will  look  upon  it  as  his  house.  He  cannot  forget,  even  in 
glory,  the  well  of  Samaria — the  garden  of  Gethsemane — the. hill 


SERMON    LXI.  351 

of  Calvary.  Happy  for  you  who  know  Christ,  and  who  do  the 
will  of  his  Father ;  wherever  you  dwell,  Christ  calls  it  his  house. 
You  may  dwell  in  a  poor  place,  and  still  be  happy  ;  for  Christ 
dwells  with  you,  and  calls  it  his  dwelling,  he  calls  you  "  My  brother, 
sister,  mother." 

II.  Christ  is  like  a  man  who  has  gone  afar  journey. — Verse  34. 
Although  the  Church  on  earth  be  his  house,  and  although  he 
has  such  affection  for  it,  yet  Christ  is  not  here,  he  is  risen — Christ 
is  risen  indeed. 

1.  He  has  gone  to  take  possession  of  heaven  in  our  name.  When 
an  elder  brother  of  a  family  purchases  a  property  for  himself  and 
his  brothers,  he  goes  a  far  journey,  in  order  to  take  possession. 
So  Christ  is  an  elder  brother.  He  lived  and  died  in  order  to 
purchase  forgiveness  and  acceptance  for  sinners.  He  has  gone 
into  heaven  to  take  possession  for  us.  Do  you  take  Christ  for 
your  surety?     Then  you  are  already  possessed  of  heaven. 

Ques.  How  am  I  possessed  of  heaven,  when  I  have  never  been 
there  ? 

Ans.  Christ  your  surety  has  taken  possession  in  your  name.  If 
you  will  realize  this,  it  will  give  you  fulness  of  joy.  A  person  may 
possess  a  property  which  he  has  never  seen. 

Look  at  your  surety  in  the  land  that  is  very  far  off",  calling  it 
all  his  own,  for  the  sake  of  his  younger  brethren  :  "  These  things 
have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may  be  full." 

2.  He  has  gone  to  intercede  for  us.  (1.)  He  has  gone  to  inter- 
cede for  unawakened,  barren  sinners  :  "  Lord,  let  it  alone  this 
year  also."  Oh,  sinner  !  why  is  it  that  you  have  not  died  a  sudden 
death  ?  Why  have  you  not  gone  quite  down  into  the  pit  ?  How 
often  the  Saviour  has  prayed  for  some  of  you  !  Shall  it  be  all  in 
vain  ?  (2.)  To  intercede  for  his  believing  people,  to  procure  all 
blessings  for  them.  Often  an  elder  brother  of  a  family  goes  into 
a  far  country,  and  sends  back  rich  presents  to  his  younger  bre- 
thren at  home.  This  is  what  Christ  has  done  ;  He  has  gone  far 
above  all  heavens,  there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us, 
and  to  ask  the  very  things  we  need,  and  to  send  us  down  all  the 
treasures  of  heaven.  Of  his  fulness  have  we  all  received,  even 
grace  for  grace.  *'  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  comforter."  Oh,  Christians  !  believe  in  a  praying  Christ, 
if  you  would  receive  heavenly  blessings.  Believe  just  as  if  you 
saw  him,  and  open  the  mouth  wide  to  receive  the  blessings  for 
which  he  is  praying. 

3.  He  has  gone  to  prepare  a  place  for  us.  When  a  family  are 
going  to  emigrate  to  a  foreign  shore,  often  the  elder  brother  goes 
before  to  prepare  a  place  for  his  younger  brethren.  This  is  what 
Christ  has  done.  He  does  not  intend  that  we  should  live  here 
always  ;  he  has  gone  a  flir  journey  in  order  to  prepare  a  place  for 
us :  "I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you ;  and  if  I  go  and  prepare  a 


352  SERMON    LXI. 

place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  to  myself,  that 
where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also."  Oh,  Christians  !  believe  in 
Christ  preparing  a  place  for  you.  It  will  greatly  take  away 
the  fear  of  dying.  It  is  an  awful  thing  to  die,  even  ibr  a  forgiven 
and  sanctified  soul ;  to  enter  on  a  world  unknown,  unseen,  untried. 
One  thing  takes  away  fear  ;  Christ  is  preparing  a  place  quite 
suitable  for  my  soul ;  he  knows  all  the  wants  and  weaknesses  of 
my  frame  :  I  know  he  will  make  it  a  pleasant  home  to  me. 

III.  All  Christ's  people  are  servants,  and  have  their  work  as- 
signed them. — Verse  34. 

1.  Ministers  are  servants,  and  have  their  work  assigned  them. 
Tvi^o  kinds  are  here  mentioned,  (l.)  Stewards.  These  seem  to 
be  the  servants  to  whom  he  gave  authority.  All  ministers  should 
be  stewards ;  rightly  dividing  the  Word  of  life :  giving  to  every 
one  of  the  family  his  portion  of  meat  in  due  season.  Oh  !  it  is  a 
blessed  work,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased 
with  his  own  blood  ;  to  give  milk  to  babes,  and  strong  meat  to 
grown  men  ;  to  give  convenient  food  to  every  one.  Pray  for 
your  ministers  that  they  may  be  made  stewards.  There  are  few 
such.  (2.)  Porters.  He  commanded  the  porter  to  watch.  It  is 
the  office  of  some  ministers  to  stand  at  the  door  and  invite  every 
sinner,  saying ;  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate."  Some  ministers 
have  not  the  gift  of  feeding  the  Church  of  God  and  watering  it. 
Paul  planted — Apollos  watered.  Some  are  only  door-keepers  in 
the  house  of  my  God.  Learn  not  to  despise  any  of  the  true  ser- 
vants of  God.  Are  all  apostles  ?  Are  all  prophets  ?  He  has  ap- 
pointed some  to  stand  at  the  door,  and  some  to  break  the  chil- 
dren's bread — despise  neither. 

2.  All  Christians  are  servants,  and  have  their  work  assigned 
them.  Some  people  think  that  ministers  only  have  to  work  for 
Christ :  but  see  here  :  "  He  gave  to  every  man  his  work."  In  a 
great  houscj  the  steward  and  the  porter  are  not  the  only  servants ; 
there  are  many  more,  and  ail  have  their  work  to  do.  Just  so 
among  the  people  of  Christ.  Ministers  are  not  the  only  servants 
of  Christ :  all  that  believe  on  him  are  his  servants. 

(1.)  Learn  to  be  working  Christians.  "  Be  ye  doers  of  the 
Word,  and  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own  souls."  It  is 
very  striking  to  see  the  uselessness  of  many  Christians.  Are 
there  none  of  you  who  know  what  it  is  to  be  selfish  in  your 
Cliristianity  ?  You  have  seen  a  selfish  child  go  into  a  secret 
place  to  enjoy  some  delicious  morsels  undisturbed  by  his 
companions  ?  So  is  it  with  some  Christians.  They  feed  upon 
Christ  and  forgiveness:  but  it  is  alone,  and  all  for  themselves. 
Are  there  not  some  of  you  who  can  enjoy  being  a  Christian,  while 
your  dearest  friend  is  not ;  and  yet  you  will  not  speak  to  him  ? 
See,  here  you  have  got  your  work  to  do.  When  Christ  found 
you,  he  said  :  "  Go,  work  in  my  vineyard."  What  were  you  hired 


SERMON   Lxr.  353 

for,  if  it  was  not  to  work  ?  What  were  you  saved  for,  if  it  was  not 
to  spread  salvation  ?  What  blessed  for  ?  Oh,  my  Christian  friends  ! 
how  little  you  live  as  if  you  were  servants  of  Christ ! — how  much 
idle  time  and  idle  talk  you  have  !  This  is  not  like  a  good  servant. 
How  many  things  you  have  to  do  for  yourself!  how  few  for 
Christ  and  his  people  !     This  is  not  like  a  servant. 

(2.)  Learn  to  keep  to  your  own  work.  In  a  great  house  every 
servant  has  his  own  peculiar  work.  One  man  is  the  porter  to 
open  the  door  ;  another  is  the  steward  to  provide  food  for  the 
family  ;  a  third  has  to  clean  the  rooms  ;  a  fourth  has  to  dress  the 
food  ;  a  fifth  has  to  wait  upon  the  guests.  Every  one  has  his 
proper  place,  and  no  servant  interferes  with  another.  If  all  were 
to  become  porters,  and  open  the  door,  then  what  would  become 
of  the  stewardship  ?  or,  if  all  were  to  be  stewards,  who  would 
clean  the  house  ?  Just  so  is  it  with  Christians.  Every  one  has 
his  peculiar  work  assigned  him,  and  should  not  leave  it.  "  Let 
every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling  wherein  he  was  called." 
Obadiah  had  his  work  appointed  him  in  the  court  of  the  wicked 
Ahab.  God  placed  him  as  his  servant  there,  saying :  "  Work 
here  for  me."  Does  any  of  you  belong  to  a  wicked  family  ? 
Seek  not  to  be  removed — Christ  has  placed  you  there  to  be  his 
servant — work  for  him.  The  Shunamite  had  her  work.  When 
the  prophet  asked :  "  Wilt  thou  be  spoken  for  to  the  king  ?"  she 
said  :  "  I  dwell  among  mine  own  people."  Once  a  poor  demoniac 
whom  Jesus  healed,  besought  Jesus  that  he  might  follow  after 
him ;  howbeit  Jesus  sutfered  him  not,  but  saith  unto  him :  "  Go 
home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath 
done  for  thee,  and  how  he  hath  had  compassion  on  thee."  Learn, 
my  dear  friends,  to  keep  to  your  own  work.  When  the  Lord  has 
hung  up  a  lamp  in  one  corner,  is  there  no  presumption  in  remov- 
ing it  to  another  ?  Is  not  the  Lord  wiser  than  man  ?  Every  one 
of  you  has  your  work  to  do  for  Christ  where  you  are.  Are  you 
on  a  sick  bed  ?  Still  you  have  your  work  to  do  for  Christ  there 
as  much  as  the  highest  servant  of  Christ  in  the  world.  The 
smallest  twinkling  star  is  as  much  a  servant  of  God  as  the  mid-day 
sun.     Only  live  for  Christ  where  you  are. 

IV.  Christ  is  coming  hack  again,  and  we  know  not  when  : 
"  Watch  ye  therefore :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  master  of  the 
house  Cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cockcrowing,  or 
in  the  morning :  lest,  coming  suddenly,  he  find  you  sleeping." — 
Verses  35,  36.     Two  things  are  here  declared. 

1.  That  Christ  is  coming  back  again.  The  whole  Bible 
bears  witness  to  this.  The  master  of  the  house  has  been  a 
long  time  away  on  his  journey  ;  but  he  will  come  back 
again.  When  Christ  ascended  from  his  disciples,  and  a  cloud 
received  him  out  of  their  sight,  and  they  were  looking  steadfastly 
into  heaven,  the  angels  said,  "  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye 

23 


354  SERMON    LXI. 

gazing  up  into  heaven  ?     This  sanne  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from 
you   into  heaven,  shall  so  couie  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen 
'  him  go  into  heaven."     He  went  up  in  a  cloud,  he  shall  come  in 
the  clouds. 

2.  That  Christ  will  come  hack  suddenly.  The  whole  Bible 
bears  witness  to  this.  (1.)  In  one  place  it  is  compared  to  a  snare 
which  suddenly  entraps  the  unwary  wild  beast:  "As  a  snare 
shall  it  come  on  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth."  (2.)  Again,  to  a  thief:  "  The  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh 
as  a  thief  in  the  night."  (3.)  Again,  to  a  bridegroom  coming 
suddenly :  "  At  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made.  Behold  the  bride- 
groom cometh."  (4.)  Again,  to  the  waters  of  the  flood.  (5.) 
Again,  to  the  fiery  rain  that  fell  on  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  (6.) 
And  here,  to  the  sudden  coming  home  of  the  master  of  the  house: 
"  Ye  know  not  when  the  master  of  the  house  cometh."  Now,  my 
dear  friends,  I  am  far  from  discouraging  those  who,  with  humble 
prayerfulness,  search  into  the  records  of  prophecy  to  find  out  what 
God  has  said  as  to  the  second  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  We 
are  not  like  the  first  disciples  of  Jesus,  if  we  do  not  often  put  the 
question  :  "  What  shall  be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end 
of  the  world?"  But  the  truth  which  I  wish  to  be  written  on  your 
hearts  is  this.  That  the  coming  shall  be  sudden,  sudden  to  the 
world,  sudden  to  the  children  of  God:  "In  such  an  hour  as  ye 
think  not,  the  Son  of  Man  cometh."  "  Ye  know  not  when  the 
master  of  the  house  cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  cock- 
crowing,  or  in  the  morning."  Oh,  my  friends  !  your  faith  is 
incomplete,  if  you  do  not  live  in  the  daily  faith  of  a  coming 
Saviour. 

V.  Watch  :  "  And  what  I  say  unto  you  I  say  unto  all.  Watch." 
—Verse  37. 

1.  Ministers  should  watch.  This  word  is  especially  addressed 
to  the  porter :  "  Watch  ye,  therefore."  Ah !  liow  watchful  we 
should  be.  Many  things  make  us  sleep.  (1.)  Want  of  faith. 
When  a  minister  loses  sight  of  Christ  crucified,  risen,  coming 
again,  then  he  cannot  watch  for  souls.  Pray  that  your  ministers 
may  have  a  watching  eye  always  on  Christ.  (2.)  Seeing  so 
many  careless  souls.  Ah  !  you  little  know  how  this  staggeis  the 
ministers  of  Christ.  A  young  believer  comes  with  a  glowing 
heart  to  tell  of  Christ,  and  pardon,  and  the  new  heart.  He  knows 
it  is  the  truth  of  God,  he  states  it  simply,  freely,  with  all  his  heart, 
he  presses  it  on  men,  he  hopes  to  see  them  melt  like  icicles  before 
the  sun  ;  alas  !  they  are  as  cold  and  dead  as  ever.  They  live  on 
in  their  sins,  they  die   in  their  sins.     Ah  !  you  little  know  how 

•  this  makes  him  dull,  and  heavy,  and  heart-broken.  My  friends, 
pray  that  we  may  not  sleep.  Pray  that  your  carelessness  may 
only  make  us  watch  the  more. 

2.  Christians  should  watch.     Ah !  if  Christ  is   at   hand,   (1.) 


SERMON    LXII.  355 

Take  heed  lest  you  be  found  unforgiven.  Many  Christians  seem 
to  live  without  a  realizing  view  of  Christ.  The  eye  should  be 
fixed  on  Christ.  Your  eye  is  shut.  Oh  !  if  you  would  abide  in 
Christ,  then  let  him  come  to-night,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at 
cockcrow,  or  in  the  morning,  he  is  welcome,  thrice  welcome  ! 
Even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus.  (2.)  Take  heed  lest  you  be  found  in 
any  course  of  sin.  Many  Christians  seem  to  walk,  if  I  mistake 
not,  in  courses  of  sin.  It  is  hard  to  account  for  it ;  but  so  it 
seems  to  be.  Some  Christians  seem  to  be  sleeping,  in  luxury,  in 
covetousness,  in  evil  company.  Ah  !  think  how  would  you  like 
to  be  overtaken  thus  by  the  coming  Saviour  ?  Try  your  daily 
occupations,  your  daily  state  of  feeling,  your  daily  enjoyments, 
try  them  by  this  test :  Am  I  doing  as  1  would  wish  to  do  on  the 
day  of  his  coming  ? 

3.  Christless  souls,  how  dreadful  is  your  case  1  Death  may  be 
sudden — oh  !  how  awfully  sudden  it  sometimes  is.  You  may 
have  no  time  for  repentance — no  breath  to  pray  !  The  coming  of 
the  Saviour  shall  be  more  sudden  still.  Ye  know  neither  the  day 
nor  the  hour.  You  know  not  God  ;  you  have  not  obeyed  the 
Gospel.     Oh  !  what  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger  ? 


SERMON  LXIL 


LOT  S    WIFE. 


"  But  his  wife  looked  back  from  behind  him,  and  she  became  a  pillar  of  salt." — 
Gen.  xix.,  26. 

There  is  not  in  the  whole  Bible  a  more  instructive  history  than 
that  of  Lot  and  his  family.  His  own  history  shows  well  how  the 
righteous  scarcely  are  saved.  His  sons-in-law  show  well  the  way 
that  the  Gospel  is  received  by  the  easy,  careless  world.  His  wife 
is  a  type  of  those  who  are  convinced,  yet  never  converted — who 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  yet  perish  after  all ;  whilst  the 
angels'  laying  hold  on  the  lingering  family,  is  a  type  of  the  gra- 
cious violence  and  sovereign  mercy  which  God  uses  in  delivering 
souls. 

At  present  I  mean  to  direct  your  thoughts  to  the  case  of  Lot's 
wife,  and  to  show  the  following 

Doctrine. — Many  souls  who  have  been  awakened  to  flee  from 
wrath,  look  behind,  and  are  lost. 

L  Many  Jlee,  under  terrors  of  natural  conscience  ;  but  when 
these  subside,  they  look  back,  and  are  lost. 

So  it  was  with  loot's  wife.     She  was  not  like  the  men  of  Sodom, 


356  SERMON    LXII. 

intent  upon  the  world  and  sin,  quite  unconcerned  about  their 
souls.  She  was  not  like  her  sons-in-law ;  she  did  not  think  her 
husband  mocking  ;  she  was  really  alarmed,  and  really  fled  ;  and 
yet  her  terrors  were  like  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew, 
which  quickly  pass  away.  When  the  angels  had  brought  them 
out  of  the  gates  of  Sodom,  they  said  ;  "  Escape  for  thy  life,  look 
not  behind  thee  ;  neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain  ;  escape  to  the 
mountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed."  And  as  long  as  these  dreadful 
words  were  ringing  in  her  ears,  doubtless  she  fled  with  anxious 
footstep.  The  dreadful  scene  of  the  past  night ;  the  darkness  ; 
the  anxiety  of  her  husband  ;  the  pressing  urgency  of  the  noble 
angels  ;  all  conspired  to  awaken  her  natural  conscience,  and  to 
make  her  flee.  But  now  the  hellish  roar  of  the  wicked  Sodomites 
had  ceased  ;  the  sun  was  already  gilding  the  horizon,  promising  a 
glorious  dawn  ;  the  plain  of  Jordan  began  to  smile,  well  watered 
everywhere  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Her  sons-in-law,  her 
friends,  her  house,  her  goods,  her  treasure,  were  still  in  Sodom  ; 
so  her  heart  was  there  also.  Her  anxieties  began  to  vanish  with 
the  darkness  ;  she  determined  to  take  one  look  to  see  if  it  were 
really  destroyed ;  she  "  looked  back  from  behind  him,  and  became 
a  pillar  of  salt." 

So  is  it  with  many  among  us.  Many  flee  under  terrors  of 
natural  conscience,  but  when  these  subside,  they  look  back,  and 
are  lost. 

Some  people  pass  through  the  world  without  any  terrors  of  con- 
science, without  any  awakening  or  anxiety  about  their  souls. 
(1.)  Some  are  like  the  men  of  Sodom,  intent  upon  buying  and 
selling,  building  and  planting,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage. 
Or  they  are  greedy  upon  their  lusts,  and  they  have  no  ears  to 
hear  the  sounds  of  coming  wrath.  As  a  man  working  hard  at  the 
anvil  hears  no  noise  from  without,  because  of  the  noise  of  his  own 
hammer,  so  these  men  hear  nothing  of  coming  vengeance,  they 
are  so  busy  with  the  work  of  their  hands.  (2.)  Some  are  like 
the  sons-in-law  of  Lot.  Yon  shrewd,  intelligent  man  of  business 
thinks  that  ministers  do  but  jest.  We  seem  to  them  as  one  that 
mocks.  They  are  so  accustomed  to  see  behind  the  scenes  in  other 
professions,  that  they  think  there  must  be  deceit  with  us  too.  And 
when  they  can  point  to  an  insincere,  ungodly  minister,  then  their 
triumph  is  complete.  These  shrewd  men  think  that  ministers  put 
serious  words  into  their  mouths,  as  other  men  put  on  suits  of 
solemn  black  at  funerals,  just  to  look  well,  and  to  agree  with  the 
occasion.  They  think  that  ministers  put  frightful  things  into  ser- 
mons just  to  frighten  weak  people,  and  to  make  the  crowd  wonder. 
Now  these  shrewd  men  are  seldom,  if  ever,  visited  with  terrors 
of  conscience.  They  slip  easily  through  the  world  into  an  un- 
done eternity.  (3.)  Some,  again,  slumber  all  their  days  under  a 
worldly  ministry.  When  God,  in  judgment,  takes  away  the  pure 
preaching  of  the  Word,    and  sends  a  famine  of  the  bread  and 


SERMON    LXII.  357 

water  of  life,  their  souls  grow  up  quite  hard  and  unawakened. 
They  grow  proud,  and  cannot  bear  to  hear  the  preaching  of 
Christ ;  they  stop  their  ears  and  run  •  they  hate,  they  detest  it. 
These  souls  often  pass  through  Hfe  without  the  least  awakening 
and  never  know,  till  they  are  in  hell,  that  they  are  lost  souls,  (4.) 
But  many  worldly  people  have  a  season  of  anxiety  about  their  soul. 
A  dangerous  illness,  or  some  awful  bereavement,  or  some  threat- 
ening cloud  of  Providence,  stirs  them  up  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come.  They  are  quite  in  earnest  :  they  lay  by  their  sins,  and 
avoid  their  sinful  companions,  and  apply  diligently  to  the  Bible, 
and  attempt  to  pray,  and  seem  to  be  really  fleeing  out  of  Sodom; 
but  they  dure  only  for  a  while ;  their  concern  is  like  the  morning 
cloud  and  the  early  dew — it  quickly  passes  away.  The  sun  of 
prosperity  begins  to  rise  ;  their  fears  begin  to  vanish ;  they  look 
behind,  and  are  lost. 

Are  there  none  here  who  can  look  back  on  such  a  course  as 
this?  You  remember  when  some  providence  awakened  you  to 
deepest  seriousness ;  some  sickness,  or  the  approach  of  the  pesti- 
lence, or  some  fearful  dealing  of  God  with  your  family,  or  the 
approach  of  a  sacrament,  made  you  anxiously  flee  out  of  Sodom. 
O  how  different  you  were  from  the  gay,  laughing,  unconcerned 
world  I  You  did  not  think  ministers  were  mocking  then.  You 
read  your  Bible,  and  went  down  on  your  knees  to  pray  very  ear- 
nestly. But  the  storm  blew  over ;  the  sun  began  to  rise,  and  every- 
thing around  you  began  to  smile.  You  began  to  think  it  hard  to 
leave  all  your  friends,  your  sins,  your  worldly  enjoyments,  and 
that  perhaps  the  wrath  of  God  would  not  come  down.  You 
looked  back,  and  this  day  you  are  as  hard  and  immovable  as  a 
pillar  of  salt.     "  Remember  Lot's  wife." 

Learn  two  things  : — 

1.  That  an  awakening  by  mere  natural  conscience  is  very 
different  from  an  awakening  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  No  man  ever 
fled  to  Christ  from  mere  natural  terror.  "  No  man  can  come  to 
me,"  saith  Christ,  "  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw 
him."     Seek  a  divine  work  upon  your  heart. 

2.  Learn  how  far  you  are  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  You  are 
quite  lost.  You  are  unmoved  and  unaffected  by  all  we  can  say. 
You  do  not  weep,  you  do  not  beat  upon  the  breast,  you  do  not 
flee,  though  we  can  prove  to  you  that  you  are  lying  under  the 
wrath  of  the  great  God  that  made  you.  Yet  you  do  not  stir  one 
step  to  flee.  Oh !  how  like  you  are  to  the  pillar  of  salt ;  how 
likely  it  is  that  you  will  never  be  saved. 

n.  Many  jiee  when  their  friends  arejleeing;  hut  they  look  hack 
and  are  lost. 

So  it  was  with  Lot's  wife.  Of  all  the  things  which  helped  to 
awaken  that  unfortunate  woman,  I  doubt  not  the  most  powerful 
was  the  anxiety  of  her  husband.     If  she  had  not  been  anxious,  I 


358  SERMON    LXII. 

doubt  not  she  would  have  been  as  stupid  and  unconcerned  as  her 
neighbors  around  her.  But  when  she  looked  upon  the  anxious  coun- 
tenance of  her  beloved  lord';  when  she  saw  how  serious  and  earnest 
he  was  in  pleading  with  their  sons-in-law,  then  she  could  not  but 
share  in  his  anxiety.  She  had  partaken  of  all  his  trials,  of  all  his 
prosperities  and  of  all  his  troubles,  and  she  would  not  leave  him 
now.  She  clave  unto  him,  she  laid  hold  on  the  skirt  of  his  garment, 
detei^mined  to  be  saved,  or  to  perish  with  her  husband.  So  much 
for  the  amiable  and  interesting  affections  of  nature  ;  but  nature  is 
not  grace  ;  natural  affection  carried  her  out  of  Sodom,  but  it  did 
not  carry  her  into  Zoar ;  for  she  looked  behind  him,  and  became 
a  pillar  of  salt. 

Now,  there  is  reason  to  think  that  this  is  true  of  some  in  this 
congregation ;  that  they  flee  when  their  friends  are  fleeing,  but 
look  back,  and  are  lost. 

Nothing  is  more  powerful  in  awakening  souls  than  the  example 
of  others  awakened  to  flee.  (1.)  It  was  so  in  the  case  of  Ruth,, 
when  she  clave  to  Naomi,  saying :  "  Where  thou  goest  I  will  go." 
(2.)  It  was  so  in  the  case  of  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  when 
they  saw  the  bride  in  anxious  search  of  her  beloved  :  "  Whither 
is  thy  beloved  gone,  that  we  may  seek  him  with  thee?"  (3.)  It 
is  foretold  that  it  shall  be  so  in  the  latter  day,  when  "ten  men 
shall  hold  on  the  skirt  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying  ;  We  will  go 
with  you  ;  for  we  have  heard  that  God  is  with  you."  (4.)  It  was 
so  in  the  time  of  John  the  Baptist,  when  many  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducecs  came  to  be  baptized,  and  John  said  :  "  O  generation 
of  vipers,  who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?" 

There  is  something  very  moving  in  the  sight  of  some  beloved 
one  going  to  join  the  peculiar  people  of  God.  When  he  begins 
to  flee  from  his  old  haunts  of  pleasure,  no  longer  to  laugh  at 
wicked  jests,  no  longer  to  delight  in  sinful  company,  when  he  be- 
comes a  reader  of  the  Bible,  and  prays  with  earnestness,  and  waits 
with  anxiety  on  the  preached  Word,  it  is  a  very  moving  sight  to 
all  his  friends.  No  doubt,  some  are  made  bitter  against  him  ;  for 
Christ  came  to  set  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the 
daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law ;  but  some  are  awakened 
to  flee  along  with  him. 

Ai'e  there  none  here  who  were  moved  to  flee  because  some  dear 
friend  was  fleeing?  (1.)  Is  there  no  wife  that  was  awakened  to 
flee  with  her  husband,  but  grew  weary  and  looked  back,  and  is 
now  become  like  Lot's  wife  ?  (2.)  Is  there  none  here  that  was 
made  truly  anxious  by  seeing  some  companions  anxious  about 
their  soul  ?  They  wept,  and  you  could  not  but  weep  ;  they  felt 
themselves  lost ;  and  you,  for  the  time,  felt  along  with  them.  They 
were  very  eager  in  their  inquiries  after  a  Saviour,  and  you  joined 
them  in  their  eagerness.  And  where  is  all  your  anxiety  now  ? 
It  is  gone,  like  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew.  You  looked 
behind,  and  are  now  unmoved  as  a  pillar  of  salt. 


SERMON    LXII.  359 

It  was  quite  right  to  flee  with  them,  it  was  right  to  cleave  to 
them  ;  for  if  not,  you  would  certainly  be  hardened  ;  if  you  stand 
out  such  moving  invitations,  nothing  else  will  persuade  you.  If  it 
was  right  to  flee,  it  is  right  to  flee  still.  Why  should  you  look 
back  ?  They  are  going  to  be  blessed,  and  will  you  not  go  with 
them  ?  They  are  fleeing  from  wrath,  and  will  you  not  flee  with 
them  ?  "  Remember  Lot's  wife."  Have  you  made  up  your  mind 
to  separate  eternally  ?  If  not,  why  then  have  you  let  them  go  ? 
Why  have  you  given  up  the  first  good  movement  in  your  breast  ? 
Flee  still,  cleave  to  them,  and  say :  "  We  will  go  with  you." 

III.  Some  are  laid  hold  of  hy  God,  and  made  to  jiee,  who  yet  look 
hack,  and  are  lost. 

So  it  was  with  Lot's  wife.  Not  only  were  natural  means 
made  use  of  to  make  her  flee,  but  supernatural  means  also.  Not 
only  was  she  moved  by  sudden  terror,  and  by  the  example  of  her 
husband,  but  she  was  drawn  out  by  the  angels  :  "  And  while  he 
lingered,  the  men  laid  hold  upon  his  hand,  and  upon  the  hand  of 
his  wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his  two  daughters  ;  the  Lord  being 
merciful  unto  him:  and  they  brought  him  forth,  and  set  him  with- 
out the  city." — Verse  16.  She  shared  in  the  same  divine  help  as 
her  husband,  God  was  merciful  to  her  as  he  was  to  her  husband. 
The  same  mighty  hand  was  put  forth  to  save  her,  and  actually 
plucked  her  as  a  brand  out  of  the  burning  ;  but,  observe,  the  same 
hand  did  not  pull  her  into  Zoar,  nor  lift  her  away  to  the  cave  of 
the  mountain.  Grace  did  something  for  her,  but  did  not  do  every- 
thing.    She  looked  back,  and  became  a  pillar  of  salt. 

So  is  it,  we  fear,  with  some  among  us.  Some  seem  to  be  laid 
hold  of  by  God,  and  made  to  flee,  who  yet  look  back,  and  are  lost. 
Now,  there  are  a  great  many  among  us  of  whom  we  have  no  right 
to  say  or  to  think  that  they  have  ever  been  laid  hold  of  by  God. 

L  There  are  many  among  us  who  seem  to  live  in  utter  igno- 
rance of  their  lost  condition,  who  plead  the  innocence  of  their  lives 
even  when  Death  is  laying  his  cold  hand  upon  them.  There  are 
some  poor  souls  who  seem  to  die  willing  to  be  judged  by  the  law. 
I  have  lived  a  decent  life,  they  will  say ;  I  have  been  a  harmless, 
quiet-living  man ;  and  I  can  see  no  reason  why  the  wrath  of  the 
great  God  should  ever  come  upon  me.  Oh !  brethren,  if  this  is 
your  case,  it  is  very  plain  that  you  have  never  had  a  divine 
awakening.     The  power  of  God  alone  could  awaken  you  to  flee. 

2.  There  are  many  among  us  who  live  in  the  daily  practice  of 
sins,  some  who  carry  on  small  dishonesties,  or  occasionally  use 
small  minced  oaihs,  who  walk  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly.  O 
brethren  !  if  this  be  your  case,  it  is  quite  plain  that  you  have  never 
had  a  divine  awakening.  When  a  man  is  made  anxious  about  his 
soul,  he  always  puts  away  his  open  sins. 

3.  There  are  many  among  us  who  live  much  in  the  neglect  of 
the  means  of  grace  ;  some  who  very  seldom  read  the  Bible  when 


360  SERMON   LXII. 

alone,  or  never  but  on  Sabbath-days;  some  who  do  not  piay 
regularly,  nor  with  any  earnestness  ;  some  who  are  very  careless 
about  the  house  of  God,  contented  if  they  attend  it  only  once  on 
the  Sabbath-day ;  who  make  no  conscience  of  being  up  betimes, 
and  ready  for  the  house  of  God  in  the  morning ;  who  allow  the 
silliest  excuses  to  keep  them  away  ;  who  loiter  about  on  the  Sab- 
bath-day ;  who  devote  it  to  most  unhallowed  visiting,  or  walking 
in  the  fields ;  making  it  the  most  unholy  day  in  the  week.  Oh ! 
dear  souls,  if  this  be  your  case,  then  it  is  quite  plain  you  have 
never  been  laid  hold  on  by  God.  You  are  as  dead  and  unawak- 
ened  as  the  stones  you  walk  upon.  You  are  living  in  the  very 
heart  of  Sodom,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  you. 

But  there  are  some  among  us  of  whom  we  think  that  they  have 
been  laid  hold  on  by  God,  and  made  to  flee.  There  are  some  who 
show  evident  marks  that  God  has  been  making  them  flee  out  of 
Sodom.     The  marks  are  these  : 

1.  They  have  a  deep  sense  of  their  lost  condition;  they  have 
an  abiding  conviction  that  the  time  past  of  their  lives  has  been 
spent  under  the  wrath  of  the  great  God  that  made  them  ;  their 
concern  goes  with  them  wherever  they  go  ;  and  anxiety  is  painted 
on  their  very  countenance.  Is  this  your  condition  ?  Then  you 
have  indeed  been  awakened  by  God. 

2.  They  dare  not  go  back  to  their  open  sins  ;  they  break  off 
quite  suddenly  from  their  little  dishonesties,  their  swearing,  or  evil- 
speaking  ;  they  separate  from  their  wicked  companions  and  filthy 
conversation ;  they  feel  that  death  is  in  the  cup,  and  they  dare  not 
drink  it  any  longer.  Is  this  your  case  ?  Then  there  is  reason  to 
think  you  have  been  awakened  by  God. 

3.  They  are  anxious  users  of  the  means  of  grace.  They  search 
the  Scriptures. night  and  day;  they  pray  with  earnestness;  they 
are  unwearied  in  waiting  on  ordinances  ;  suffer  no  trifle  to  keep 
them  away  from  the  house  of  God ;  they  seek  for  the  Saviour  as 
for  hid  treasure  ;  listen  for  his  name,  as  the  criminal  for  the  sound 
of  pardon.  Is  this  your  case  ?  Then  it  seems  likely  that  God  has 
been  merciful  to  your  soul ;  that  God  has  been  making  you  flee 
out  of  Sodom,  and  escape  for  your  life. 

But  the  text  shows  me  that  many  who  have  been  thus  awakened 
look  back,  and  are  lost.  "  Remember  Lot's  wife."  She  was 
brought  quite  out  of  Sodom,  and  yet  she  looked  back,  and  became 
a  pillar  of  salt.  She  was  awakened,  yet  never  saved.  Now, 
there  is  reason  to  fear  this  may  be  the  case  with  some  amongst 
us.  (1.)  Some  awakened  souls  begin  to  despair  of  ever  finding 
Christ.  They  begin  to  blame  God  for  not  having  brought  them 
into  peace  before  now ;  and  so  they  give  up  striving  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate — they  look  behind,  and  are  lost.  (2.)  Some 
awakened  souls  begin  to  think  themselves  saved  already.  They 
have  put  away  many  outward  sins,  and  prayed  with  much  ear- 
nestness.    Their  friends  observe  the  change,  and  they  think  they 


SERMON    LXII.  361 

are  surely  safe  now,  that  there  is  no  need  of  fleeing  any  further  ; 
so  they  look  behind,  and  become  a  pillar  of  salt.  (3.)  Some 
awakened  souls  begin  to  tire  of  the  pains  of  seeking  Christ.  They 
remember  their  former  ease  and  pleasures,  their  companions,  their 
walks,  their  merry-makings  ;  so  they  look  behind  and  perish. 

Speak  a  word  to  awakened  souls. — Some  now  hearing  me  may 
be  at  present  under  the  awakening  hand  of  God.  You  have  deep 
convictions  of  your  lost  condition,  you  have  put  away  outward 
sins,  and  wait  earnestly  on  every  means  of  grace  ;  there  is  every 
reason  to  think  that  God  has  been  merciful  to  you,  and  has  laid 
hold  upon  you.     "  Remember  Lot's  wife." 

Learn  from  her,  (1.)  That  you  are  not  saved  yet.  Lot's  wife 
'fled  out  of  Sodom,  led  by  the  angels'  hand,  and  yet  she  was  lost. 
An  awakened  soul  is  not  a  saved  soul.  You  are  not  saved  till 
God  shut  you  into  Christ.  It  is  not  enough  that  you  flee — you 
must  flee  into  Christ.  Oh !  do  not  lie  down  and  slumber.  Oh  ! 
do  not  look  behind  you.  "  Remember  Lot's  wife."  (2.)  That 
God  is  no  ways  obliged  to  bring  you  into  Christ.  God  has  made 
but  one  covenant ;  that  is,  with  Christ  and  all  in  him  ;  but  he  has 
nowhere  bound  himself  to  men  that  are  out  of  Christ.  He  may 
never  bring  you  to  Christ,  and  yet  be  a  just  and  righteous  God. 
Do  not  demand  it  of  God,  then,  as  if  he  were  obliged  to  save  you, 
but  lie  helpless  at  his  feet  as  a  sovereign  God. 

Speak  a  word  to  those  loho  are  beginning  to  look  back. — There 
is  reason  to  think  that  some  who  were  once  awakened  by  God 
have  begun  to  look  back.  (1.)  Some  of  you  have  begun  to  lose  a 
sense  of  your  wretched  and  lost  condition.  Some  of  you  have 
quite  another  view  of  your  state  from  what  you  had.  (2.)  Some 
of  you  have  gone  back  to  old  sins,  to  old  habits,  especially  of 
keeping  company  with  the  ungodly  ;  and  some,  there  is  reason  to 
think,  are  trying  to  laugh  at  their  former  fears.  (3.)  Some  of 
you  have  turned  more  careless  of  the  Bible,  and  of  prayer,  and  of 
the  ordinances.  At  last  sacrament  there  were  many  very  eager 
to  hear  of  Christ;  and  where  are  they  now?  There  is  reason  to 
fear  that  much  of  that  concern  is  gone,  that  many  have  lost  their 
anxiety,  that  some  are  looking  back. 

Now,  "remember  Lot's  wife."  (1.)  It  will  not  save  you,  that 
you  were  once  anxious ;  nay,  that  you  were  made  anxious  by 
God.  So  was  Lot's  wife,  and  yet  she  was  lost.  (2.)  If  you  really 
look  back,  it  is  probable  you  never  will  be  awakened  again.  Con- 
sider that  monument  of  vengeance  on  the  Plain  of  Jordan  ;  speak 
to  her,  she  does  not  hear ;  cry,  she  does  not  regard  you  ;  urge  her 
to  flee  again  from  wrath,  she  does  not  move  ;  she  is  dead.  So 
will  it  be  with  you.  If  you  really  turn  back  now,  we  may  speak, 
but  you  will  not  hear  ;  we  may  cry,  but  you  will  not  regard  ;  we 
may  urge  you  again  to  flee,  but  you  will  not  move.  "  If  any  man 
draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him."     "  No  man, 


362  SERMON    LXIII. 

having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the 
kingdom  of  God. 
St.  Peter's,  1837. 


SERMON  LXm. 

HAPPY  ART  THOU,  O  ISRAEL  ! 

"  Happy  art  thou,  0  Isrcel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  0  people  saved  by  the  Lord,  the 
shield  of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the  sword  of  thy  excellency  ?  and  thine  enemies 
shall  be  found  liars  unto  thee  ;  and  thou  shalt  tread  upon  their  high  places." — 
Deut.  xxxiii.,  29. 

These  are  the  last  words  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God.  He  was 
now  an  hundied  and  twenty  years  old  ;  his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor 
his  natural  Ibrce  abated.  For  forty  years  he  had  led  the  people 
through  the  wilderness ;  he  had  cared  for  them,  and  prayed  for 
them,  and  led  them  as  a  shepherd  leads  his  flock ;  and  now,  when 
God  had  told  him  that  he  must  part  from  them,  he  determined  to 
part  from  them  blessing  them.  And  in  this  respect,  as  in  many 
others,  did  he  foreshadow  the  Saviour,  of  whom  it  is  written,  that 
"he  led  his  disciples  out  as  far  as  Bethany,  and  he  lifted  up  his 
hands  and  blessed  them  ;  and  it  came  to  pass,  while  he  blessed  them, 
he  was  parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven." 

First  of  all,  we  may  understand  these  words  literally  as  the  bless- 
ing of  Moses  upon  the  people  of  Israel.  He  looked  back  over 
the  wilderness  through  which  he  had  led  them,  and  it  was  all 
brilliantly  studded  with  the  wondrous  things  which  God  had 
wrought  for  them.  He  remembered  the  high  hand  and  out- 
stretched arm  with  which  he  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt;  he 
remembered  how  he  clave  a  path  for  them  through  the  Red  Sea, 
when  their  enemies  sank  like  lead  in  the  mighty  waters;  he  re- 
membered how  he  went  before  them  in  a  pillar  of  cloud  by  day, 
and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night ;  he  remembered  how  he  had  sweet- 
ened the  waters  of  Marah,  for  they  were  bitter;  he  remembered 
how  he  had  fed  them  with  manna  from  on  high:  man  did  eat  an- 
gels' food.  He  remembered  how  he  had  smitten  the  rock  at  Re- 
phidim,  and  waters  gushed  forth  ;  how  he  had  held  up  his  hands 
to  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  and  Israel  prevailed  over  Amalek ; 
how  he  had  received  the  law  from  the  very  hand  of  God  for  them. 
He  remembered  how  he  had  again  brought  water  from  the  flinty 
rock  at  Mcribah ;  how  he  had  lifted  up  the  brazen  serpent  in  the 
wildeiness ;  and,  looking  back  over  all  this  track  of  ibrty  years' 
wonders,  during  which  their  garments  had  not  waxed  old,  neither 
had  the  sole  of  their  foot  swelled,  how  could  he  but  put  a  bless- 


SERMON    LXIII.  363 

ing  upon  them  ?  He  felt  as  Balaam  did :  "  Blessed  is  he  that  bless- 
eth  thee,  and  cursed  is  he  that  curseth  thee."  And  accordingly, 
when  he  had  gone  over  each  of  the  tribes  separately,  leaving  each 
his  prophetic  blessing,  he  sums  up  the  whole  in  these  glorious 
words:  "  Who  is  like  unto  the  God  of  Jeshurun  ?" 

But,  secondly,  these  words  may  be  understood  typically  as  the 
blessing  of  Moses  upon  God's  people  to  the  end  of  time.  No  man 
can  read  the  Old  Testament  intelligently  without  seeing  that  the 
people  of  Israel  were  a  typical  people ;  that  the  choosing  of  them 
out  of  Egypt,  the  bringing  them  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  through 
the  wilderness  and  into  the  land  of  promise,  were  all  typical  of 
the  way  in  which  God  brings  his  chosen  ones  out  of  their  sins, 
through  this  world  of  sin  and  misery,  into  the  heavenly  Canaan — 
the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.  If,  then,  the  bond- 
age, the  deliverance,  the  unbelief,  the  enemies,  the  journeyings,  the 
guidance,  and  the  rest  of  the  Israelites,  were  all  typical  of  God's 
dealings  with  his  own  people  to  the  end  of  time,  we  are  quite  jus- 
tified in  understanding  these  words  as  the  blessing  of  Moses,  the 
man  of  God,  upon  all  tlie  true  children  of  God. 

"Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel:  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people 
saved  by  the  Lord,  the  shield  of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the  sword 
6f  thy  excellency  !  and  thine  enemies  shall  be  found  liars  unto 
thee  ;  and  thou  shalt  tread  upon  their  high  places."  From  these 
words  I  draw  the  following 

Doctrine, — That  the  people  of  God  are  a  happy  people,  because 
they  are  saved  by  the  Lord. 

L  Israel  is  a  happy  people,  because  chosen  by  the  Lord. 

\.  This  was  true  of  ancient  Israel. — Moses  iells  them  plainly: 
"  The  Lord  did  not  set  his  love  upon  you,  because  ye  were  more 
in  number  than  any  people  ;  for  ye  were  the  fewest  of  all  people ; 
but  because  the  Lord  loved  you,  and  because  he  would  keep  the 
oath  which  he  had  sworn  unto  your  fathers." — Deut.  vii.,  7.  Here 
is  a  strange  thing  which  the  world  cannot  understand.  He  loved 
them  because  he  loved  them,  not  because  they  were  better,  or. 
greater,  or  worthier  than  any  other  nation,  but  because  he  loved 
them.  Strange,  sovereign,  unaccountable  love  !  Ho  gives  no  ac- 
count of  his  matters  ;  so,  then,  "  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor 
of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy." 

2.  This  is  true  of  all  God's  people  to  this  day. — David  says, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  and  causest  to  approach 
unto  thee."  Christ  says,  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you."  And  Paul  says,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual 
blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ ;  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we 
should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love."  Ah!  yes, 
my  friends,  our  God  is  a  sovereign  God :  "  Therefore  hath  he 


364  SERMON    LXIII. 

mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy  ;  and  whom  he  will  he  hard- 
eneth."  Every  believer  is  a  witness  of  this.  Is  there  any  believer 
here  ?  Well,  I  take  you  to  bear  witness.  You  were  once  dead 
and  careless  about  your  soul,  you  could  be  happy  with  the  world, 
though  unforgiven  and  unsanctified.  How  was  it  that  you  were 
brought  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  Do  you  waken  yourself 
out  of  sleep?  Ah  !  no  ;  you  know  w^cll  that  if  God  had  let  you  lie, 
you  would  willingly  have  slept  on.  Like  the  sluggard,  you  would 
have  said, "  A  little  more  sleep,  a  little  more  slumber,  a  little  more 
folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep  ;"  but  he  awoke  you  by  his  Word,  by 
his  ministers,  or  by  his  providence  ;  and  he  would  not  let  you  go 
till  you  cried,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Again  :  you  were 
brought  from  conviction  of  sin  to  conviction  of  righteousness ;  from 
a  troubled  conscience  to  a  heart  at  peace  in  believing.  How  was 
this?  Did  you  come  yourself  to  Jesus,  or  were  5'OU  drawn  of  the 
Father?  Ah  !  you  know  well  you  received  it  not  of  man,  neither 
by  man — that  God  brought  you  within  sight  of  Jesus.  He  that  at 
first  brought  light  out  of  darkness  shined  into  your  hearts,  and 
stirred  you  up  to  act  faith  on  Jesus ;  and  thus  you  were  saved ;  for 
"no  man  can  come  to  Jesus  except  the  Father  draw  him."  From 
beginning  to  end,  then,  the  work  is  God's.  By  grace  ye  are  saved ; 
and  blessed,  indeed,  is  "  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  and  causest 
to  approach  unto  thee." 

Objection. — But  some  one  may  object  that  this  doctrine  minis- 
ters to  pride ;  that  to  make  a  man  believe  himself  the  chosen  fa- 
vorite of  God,  puffs  up  that  man  with  pride.  To  this  I  answer, 
that  this  is  the  very  truth  which  cuts  up  pride  by  the  roots.  As 
it  is  written,  "  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  ?  and 
what  hast  thou  tl^t  thou  didst  not  receive  ?  Now,  if  thou  didst 
receive  it,  why  dost  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ?" 
— 1  Cor.  iv.,  7.  If  there  be  one  believer  among  you  (1.)  I  bid 
him  look  round  upon  those  of  his  own  family  still  without  Christ 
and  without  God  in  the  world.  Perhaps  you  are  the  only  one  in 
your  house  that  knows  and  loves  the  Saviour.  Now,  I  ask  you, 
Who  made  you  to  differ  ?  Are  you  by  nature  any  better  than 
your  kindred,  that  you  are  chosen  and  they  left?  How,  then,  can 
you  be  proud?  (2.)  Or,  look  round  on  your  neighborhood,  you 
will  see  drunkenness  and  pollution,  you  will  hear  oaths  and  pro- 
faneness.  Now,  I  ask,  Who  made  you  to  differ?  or,  what  better 
were  you  than  they  ?  Can  you,  then  be  proud  ?  (3.)  Or,  look 
round  on  the  Popish  and  Heathen  world  sunk  in  darkest  ignorance 
— without  any  to  tell  them  the  plain  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus. 
Look  upon  nine-tenths  of  the  world  that  want  the  pure  light  of  the 
Gospel,  and  tell  me,  Who  made  you  to  differ?  and  how  can  you 
be  proud  ?  (-1.)  Or,  look  beyond  this  world's  horizon,  look  down 
to  the  realms  of  darkness  and  of  death  eternal,  and  see  the  angels 
that  fell— 


SERMON    LXIII.  365 

"  Far  other  once  beheld  in  bliss- 
Millions  of  spirits  for  one  fault  amerced 
Of  heaven,  and  from  eternal  splendors  flung 
For  their  revolt." — 

Look  upon  these  majestic  intelligences,  *'  reserved  in  everlasting 
chains,  under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day,"  and 
tell  me,  Who  made  you  to  differ  ?  what  better  are  you  by  nature 
than  devils?  Unconverted  men  are  children  of  the  devil.  There 
is  no  lust  in  the  heart  of  the  devil  that  is  not  in  every  natural 
heart :  and  yet  God  halh  passed  them  by,  and  come  to  save  you. 
God  came  and  wakened  you  when  you  were  in  a  natural  condi- 
tion, and  no  better  than  devils ;  yea,  he  hath  passed  by  the  Hea- 
then— he  hath  left  your  neighbors  in  their  sins — your  own  children 
una  wakened  ;  but  he  hath  awakened  you. 

Oh !  most  mysterious  electing  love  !  Well  may  you  cry  out 
with  Paul :  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his 
ways  past  finding  out !"  And  does  this  make  you  proud  ?  does 
it  not  rather  make  you  bury  your  head  in  the  dust,  and  never  lift 
up  your  eyes  any  more  ?  And  does  it  not  make  you  happy  ? 
"  O  happy  Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the 
Lord !" 

Does  it  give  you  no  joy  to  feel  that  God  thought  upon  you  in 
love  before  the  ibundation  of  the  world  ? — that  when  he  was  alone 
from  all  eternity  he  gave  you  to  the  Son  to  be  redeemed? 
"  Before  I  formed  thee  in  the  belly,  I  knew  thee  ;  and  before  thou 
camest  forth  out  of  the  womb,  I  sanctified  thee."  Does  it  give  you 
no  joy  to  think  that  the  Son  of  God  thought  on  you  with  love  before 
the  world  was  :  "  My  delights  were  with  the  children  of  men," — 
that  he  came  into  the  world  bearing  your  name  upon  his  heart — 
that  he  prayed  for  you  on  the  night  of  his  agony  :  "  Neither  pray 
I  for  these  alone,  but  for  all  those  that  shall  believe  on  me  through 
their  word  ?"  Does  it  give  you  no  joy  that  he  thought  upon  you 
in  his  bloody  sweat ;  that  he  thought  of  you  upon  the  cross,  and 
intended  these  sufferings  to  be  in  your  stead  ?  Oh,  little  children, 
how  it  would  lift  your  hearts  in  holy  rapture  above  the  world  ; 
above  its  vexing  cares  ;  its  petty  quarrels  ;  its  polluting  pleasures  ; 
if  you  would  keep  this  holy  joy  within ;  taking  up  the  very  word 
of  your  Lord :  "  Father,  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world  " 

O  unbelieving  world !  ye  know  nothing  of  this  joy.  It  is  all 
frantic  presumption  in  your  eyes ;  and  this  is  just  what  the  Bible 
says  :  A  stranger  intermeddles  not  with  the  believer's  joy.  This 
is  just  what  Christ  said :  "  Ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of 
my  sheep."  Carry  this  one  thing  away  with  you :  "  We  were 
once  just  what  you  now  are  (every  believer  will  tell  you) — we 
were  just  as  senseless  and  unbelieving  as  you  are.  We  once 
despised  and  laughed  at  the  very  persons  with  whom  we  are  now 


366  SERMON   Lxrii. 

one  in  the  Lord ;  but  we  were  awakened  by  God,  and  fled  to 
Christ,  and  are  redeemed  and  happy" — "  knowing  our  election 
of  God."  Oh  !  may  this  be  your  history,  and  then  you  will  know 
the  meaning  of  these  words :  "  O,  happy  Israel !" 

II.  Israel  is  a  happy  people,  because  they  are  justified  hy  the 
Lord:  "  Tlie  eternnl  God  is  thy  refuge.'' — Verse  27.  '•  He  is 
the  shield  of  thy  help." — Verse  29. 

First  of  all,  this  is  true  because  Christ  is  our  refuge  and  shield, 
and  Christ  is  God.  (1.)  It  is  said  of  him  :  "  In  the  beginning  was 
the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God." — John  i.,  1.  (2.)  Again,  it  is  said  of  him:  "  Thy  throne, 
O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever :  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the 
sceptre  of  thy  kingdom." — Heb.  i.,  8.  (3.)  Again,  it  is  said  of 
him  :  "  By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and 
that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones, 
or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  ;  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him :  and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all 
things  consist." — Col.  i.,  16,  17.  (4.)  Again,  it  is  said  of  him,  that 
"  he  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever." — Rom.  ix.,  5.  (5.)  Again, 
Thomas  saith  unto  him:  "My  Lord,  and  my  God."  (6.)  And  he 
is  called  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." — 1  Tim.  iii.,  16.  So,  then, 
he  is  indeed  "  Immanuel,  God  with  us."  He  is  the  maker  of  the 
world  ;  the  God  of  providence  ;  the  God  of  angels.  And  this  is 
the  being  who  came  to  be  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  even  the  chief! 

Now,  brethren,  I  wish  you  to  see  the  use  of  the  Saviour  being 
God,  and  how  the  whole  comfort  and  joy  of  the  believer  is  found- 
ed on  it.  Everything  that  God  does  is  infinitely  perfect :  he  never 
fails  in  anything  he  undertakes.  Everything,  therefore,  which  the 
Saviour  did  was  infinitely  perfect.  He  did  not,  and  could  not, 
fail  in  anything  which  he  undertook.  (1.)  He  undertook  to  bear 
the  wrath  of  God  in  the  stead  of  sinners.  His  heart  was  set  upon 
it  from  all  eternity  ;  for,  before  the  world  was  made,  he  tells  us : 
"  My  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men."  For  this  end  he  took 
on  him  our  nature ;  became  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted 
with  grief.  From  his  cradle  in  the  manger  to  the  cross,  the  dark 
cloud  of  God's  anger  was  over  him  ;  and  especially  towards  the 
close  of  his  life,  the  cloud  came  to  be  at  the  darkest— yet  he 
cheerfully  suffered  all.  "  How  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accom 
plished  I"  The  cup  of  God's  anger  was  given  him  without  mix- 
ture:  yet  he  said:  "  The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me, 
shall  I  not  drink  it?"  Now,  we  may  be  quite  sure,  that  since  he 
was  the  Son  of  God,  he  hath  suffered  all  that  sinners  should  have 
suffered.  If  he  had  been  an  angel,  he  might  have  left  some  part 
unfinished  ;  but  since  he  was  God,  his  work  must  be  perfect.  He 
himself  said  :  *'  It  is  finished  ;"  and  since  he  was  the  God  that  can- 
not lie,  we  are  quite  sure  that  all  suffering  is  finished — that 
neither  he  nor  his  hody  can  suff'er  any  more  to  all  eternity.     (2.) 


SERMON    LXIII.  367 

But,  again,  he  undertook  to  obey  the  law  in  the  stead  of  sinners. 
Man  had  not  only  broken  the  law  of  God,  but  he  had  failed  to 
obey  it.  Now,  as  the  Lord  Jesus  came  to  be  a  complete  Saviour, 
he  not  only  suffered  the  curse  ot"  the  broken  law,  but  he  obeyed 
the  law  in  the  stead  of  sinners.  Through  his  whole  life,  he  made 
it  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  God.  Now,  we  may  be 
quite  sure  that  since  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  he  hath  done  all  that 
sinners  ought  to  have  done.  His  righteousness  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  ;  so  that  we  may  be  quite  sure,  that  every  sinner  who 
puts  on  that  righteousness  is  more  righteous  than  if  man  had  never 
fallen  ;  more  righteous  than  angels  ;  as  righteous  as  God.  "  Who 
shall  condemn  whom  God  hath  justified  ?" 

O  careless  sinners  !  this  is  the  Saviour  whom  we  have  always 
been  preaching  to  you  ;  this  is  the  divine  Redeemer  whom  you 
have  always  trodden  under  foot.  You  would  think  it  a  great 
thing  if  the  king  left  his  throne,  and  knocked  at  your  door,  and 
besought  you  to  accept  a  little  gold  ;  but,  oh  !  how  much  greater 
a  thing  is  here.  The  King  of  kings  has  left  his  throne,  and  died 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  and  now  knocks  at  your  door.  Careless 
sinner,  can  you  still  resist  ? 

Awakened,  anxious  souls  !  this  is  the  Saviour  we  have  always 
offered  you ;  this  is  the  refuge,  the  rock  which  has  followed  you. 
You  are  anxious  for  your  soul ;  and  why,  then,  will  you  not  hide 
here  ?  Do  you  think  that  you  honor  Christ  by  doubting  if  his 
blood  and  righteousness  be  enough  to  cover  you?  Do  you  think 
you  honor  God  by  making  him  a  liar,  and  refusing  to  believe  the 
record  which  he  hath  given  of  his  Son?  Oh!  doubt  him  no 
longer.  Another  day,  and  it  may  be  too  late.  Flee  like  men 
who  have  an  eternal  hell  behind  them,  and  an  eternal  refuge 
before  them.  Take  heaven  by  violence.  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able." 

And  you  who  have  jied  for  refuge  to  the  Saviour :  "  O  happy 
Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the  Lord  !"  The 
eternal  God  is  thy  refuge  ;  and  of  whom  can  you  be  afraid  ?  Re- 
member, abide  in  him.  In  the  dark  hours  of  sin  and  temptation, 
Satan  always  tries  to  drive  you  from  this  refuge.  He  will  try  to 
make  you  doubt  if  Christ  be  God  ;  if  his  work  be  a  finished  work  ; 
if  sinners  may  hide  in  him  ;  if  a  backshder  may  hide  in  him ;  but 
cast  not  away  your  confidence.  Cleave  fast  to  Christ ;  and  then 
the  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge.  In  the  hour  of  death,  you  may 
have  a  dark  valley  to  pass  through  ;  you  may  lose  sight  of  all 
your  evidences;  you  may  feel  all  your  graces  departed,  and  cry: 
"All  these  things  are  against  me."  Still,  as  a  helpless  sinner,  flee 
to  the  Saviour  God.  Throw  away  the  question  whether  you  ever 
believed  or  no ;  and  say,  I  will  believe  now  ;  and  thus  at  evening 
time  it  shall  be  light,  and  you  will  die  with  the  eternal  God  as 


368  SERMON    LXIII. 

your  refuge.     Your  eyes  will  close  on  this  world  only  to  open  on 
the  world  where  there  is  no  doubt,  and  no  fear,  and  no  death, 

III.  Israel  is  a  happy  peaple,  because  sanctified  hy  the  Lord: 
"  Underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms  ;"  and,  "  Who  is  the  sword 
of  thy  excellency." 

In  the  chapter  before  (xxxii.,  11),  God  compares  his  carrying 
of  Israel  to  an  eagle  and  her  young :  "  As  an  eagle  stirreth  up  her 
nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her  wings, 
taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings :  so  the  Lord  alone  did 
lead  him,  and  there  was  no  strange  god  with  him."  Again,  in 
Isaiah,  it  is  said :  "  In  all  their  affliction  he  was  afflicted,  and  the 
angel  of  his  presence  saved  them :  in  his  love  and  in  his  pity  he 
redeemed  them  ;  and  he  bare  them  and  carried  them  all  the  days 
of  old."  Again,  in  the  story  ot  the  lost  sheep,  we  find  that  the 
Saviour  not  only  finds  the  lost  sheep,  but  "  when  he  hath  found  it, 
he  lays  it  upon  his  shoulders  rejoicing."  This  is  the  very  same 
meaning  as  the  text :  "  Underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms  ;"  and 
again  :  "'  He  is  the  sword  of  thine  excellency." 

When  a  young  believer  has  come  to  peace  in  Jesus,  he  then 
comes  to  anxiety  about  walking  holily.  No  sooner  has  he  found 
the  sweet  calm  of  a  forgiven  soul,  than  he  begins  to  know  the 
bitter  anxiety  of  a  soul  that  fears  to  sin.  True,  I  have  come  to 
Christ,  and  should  have  peace ;  but  now  I  begin  to  fear  I  shall  not 
be  able  to  confess  Christ  before  men.  Now  I  begin  to  see  that 
the  whole  world  are  against  me ;  that  all  things  are  tempting  me 
to  sin ;  and  I  fear  I  shall  go  back  to  the  world.  I  fear  I  shall  be 
ensnared  again.  My  companions,  how  can  I  resist  them  ?  and 
Satan,  how  can  I  fight  against  him  ? 

This  is  the  time  when  the  young  believer  begins  to  make  a  great 
many  resolutions  in  his  own  strength.  If  he  could  only  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  temptation,  and  separate  from  the  world,  he  thinks 
he  could  keep  himself  holy  ;  but  God  soon  teaches  him  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  his  own  strength.  His  resolutions  are  all  broken 
through ;  his  habits  of  walking  strictly  vanish  like  smoke  before 
the  breath  of  temptation  ;  and  the  young  child  of  God  sits  down 
to  weep  over  the  plague  of  his  own  heart,  and  to  cry  :  "  O 
wretched  man,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  bodv  of  this 
death  ?" 

If  there  are  be  any  such  hearing  me,  suffer  me,  I  beseech  you, 
to  recommend  a  new  plan — a  far  more  excellent  way.  Give 
yourself  into  the  everlasting  arms.  When  sin  arises ;  when  the 
world  sets  in  like  a  flood  ;  when  temptation  comes  suddenly  upon 
you  ;  lean  back  upon  the  almighty  Spirit,  and  you  are  safe.  How 
does  the  little  child  do  that  has  been  set  down  upon  the  ground  to 
walk,  when  it  finds  that  its  little  limbs  bend  under  it — that  the  first 
breath  of  wind  will  overthrow  it  ?  Does  it  not  yield  itself  up 
into  the  mother's  arms  ?     When  it  cannot  go,  it  consents  to  be 


SERMON    LXIII.  369 

carried  ;  and  so  do  you,  feeble  child  of  God.  God  hath  given  you 
cleaving  faith,  to  cleave  to  Christ  alone  for  righteousness  ;  and 
that  gave  you  the  peace  of  the  justified.  Pray  novi^  that  God 
would  give  you  resigning  faith,  that  you  may  trust  him  alone  for 
strength — that  you  may  yield  yourself  into  the  everlasting  arms. 
Go  you  and  learn  what  this  meaneth  :  Jehovah  our  Righteousness 
is  the  same  as  Jehovah  my  Banner.  Then,  but  not  till  then,  will 
you  fully  know  the  meaning  of  the  blessing  :  "  O  happy  Israel : 
who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the  Lord  !" 

Objection.  I  do  not  see  the  Spirit,  nor  hear  the  Spirit,  nor  feel 
the  Spirit ;  and  how  can  I  yield  myself  into  his  arms  ?  Ans. 
This  is  the  very  Bible  description  of  the  Spirit's  work :  "  The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof, 
but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goeth  :  so  is 
every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  You  do  not  see  the  wind, 
nor  do  you  understand  the  machinery  by  which  it  blows,  and  yet 
you  spread  the  sail  to  catch  the  breeze ;  and  thus  the  tall  vessel  is 
borne  over  many  a  rough  sea  to  the  haven  of  rest.  Just  so  lean 
upon  the  Spirit,  though  you  understand  not  his  working.  Though 
now  you  see  him  not,  yet  believe  in  him,  and  you  shall  rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  ;  you  shall  be  borne  over 
the  rough  waves  of  this  world  to  the  haven  of  rest.  Again :  you 
do  not  know  how  the  well  springs  up ;  you  do  not  understand  the 
machinery  by  which  the  water  springs  unfailingly  ;  and  yet  you 
carry  the  pitcher  to  the  well,  and  never  come  back  with  it  empty. 
So  depend  on  the  unseen  supply  of  the  Spirit ;  get  a  daily  supply 
for  daily  wants  ;  go  confidently  to.  the  wells  of  salvation,  and  ye 
shall  draw  water  with  joy.  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink."  "  O  happy  Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee  !" 
Be  of  good  cheer.  We  are  confident  that  He  which  hath  begun 
a  good  work  in  you  will  carry  it  on  to  the  day  of  Christ  Jesus. 

But,  ah !  poor  Christless  souls,  there  is  no  promise  of  the  Spirit 
to  you.  All  the  promises  are  yea  and  amen  in  Christ.  Out  of 
Christ  there  is  no  promise  ;  nothing  but  wrath.  You  have  no 
everlasting  arms  underneath  you.  You  are  sensual,  not  having 
the  Spirit.  There  is  no  sin  into  which  you  may  not  fall.  The 
sins  that  make  men  shudder  and  turn  pale,  you  may  commit.  God 
has  nowhere  promised  to  keep  you  from  them.  You  have  not  the 
Spirit ;  you  cannot  love  God,  or  do  any  good  work  ;  you  can 
only  sin.  O  poor  souls  !  that  are  growing  still  on  the  stock  of  old 
Adam,  you  cannot  but  bear  evil  fruit ;  and  the  end  will  be  death. 
Oh  !  that  you  would  go  away  and  weep  over  your  miserable 
estate,  and  cry  to  God  to  bring  you  among  his  happy  Israel,  who 
are  chosen,  justified,  sanctified,  saved  by  the  Lord  ! 

St.  Peter's,  Jan.  29,  1837, 

24 


370  SERMON    LXIV. 


SERMON  LXIV. 

ENTREAT  ME  NOT  TO  LEAVE  THEE. 

"  And  Ruth  said,  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,  or  to  return  from  following  after 
thee  :  for  whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go ;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge  . 
thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God." — Ruth  i.,  16.  ■ 

In  these  two  women  of  Moab  you  see  the  difference  between 
nature  and  grace. 

1.  Orpah  appears  to  have  been  of  a  most  gentle,  affectionate 
disposition.  She  had  been  a  kind  and  loving  wife  for  ten  years 
to  her  now  buried  husband.  She  had  been  a  kind  daughter-in- 
law  to  Naomi :  "  The  Lord  deal  kindly  with  you,  as  ye  have 
dealt  with  the  dead,  and  with  me." — Verse  8.  She  could  not 
bear  to  part  with  Naomi.  She  first  determined  to  go  with  her. — 
Verse  6.  When  Naomi  bade  them  go  back,  she  said  :  •'  Surely  we 
will  go  with  thee."  When  Naomi  again  bade  them  return,  she  lifted 
up  her  voice  and  wept.  And  she  kissed  her  mother-in-law  most 
affectionately,  and  went  back  to  her  people  and  her  gods.  O 
how  much  of  loveliness  there  is  in  the  gentle  affections  of  nature  ! 
Who  would  believe  that  they  cover  a  heart  as  black  as  hell  ? 

2.  Ruth  also  appears  to  have  been  of  a  kindly,  gentle  disposi- 
tion ;  but  her  heart  was  touched  by  the  Spirit  of  God  also.  Naomi 
had  not  only  been  her  mother-in-law,  but  the  mother  of  her  soul. 
She  had  taught  her  the  way  of  salvation  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ; 
and  therefore,  when  the  day  of  trial  came,  that  she  must  part  from 
her  people  and  her  gods,  or  part  from  her  spiritual  instructor, 
Ruth  clave  to  Naomi :  "  And  Naomi  said.  Behold  thy  sister-in- 
law  is  gone  back  unto  her  people,  and  unto  her  gods :  return  thou 
after  thy  sister-in-law.  And  Ruth  said.  Entreat  me  not  to  leave 
thee,  or  to  return  from  following  after  thee  :  for  whither  thou  goest, 
I  will  go  ;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge  :  thy  people  shall 
be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God." — Verses  15,  16. 

From  these  words  I  draw  the  following  lessons  :  Tliat  we 
should  cleave  to  our  converted  friends. 

When  God  sent  me  away  from  you,  about  eighteen  months 
ago,  I  think  I  could  then  number,  in  my  own  mind,  more  than 
sixty  souls  who,  I  trust,  had  visibly  passed  from  death  unto  life 
during  the  time  I  had  been  among  you.  Now,  I  do  think  I  could 
number  many  more,  aye,  twice  as  many  more,  of  you  who  have 
come,  by  the  wonderful  grace  of  God,  to  choose  Israel  for  your 
people,  and  Israel's  God  for  your  God.  I  trust  that  there  is 
hardly  a  family  in  this  church  who  have  not  some  friend  or  rela- 
tive really  born  again.  Oh,  that  God  would  this  day  put  Ruth's 
resolution  into  your  heart,  to  cleave  to  your  converted  friends,  and 
to  say, "  Where  thou  goest,  I  will  go  " — "  Thy  people  shall  be  my 
people,  and  thy  God  my  God  1" 


SERMON    LXIV.  371 

I.  Their  God  is  a  precious  God. 

1.  A  sin-pardoning  God :  "  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  who 
pardoneth  iniquity  ?"  Unconverted  souls  have  no  God  :  "  With- 
out God,  and  without  hope  in  the  world ;"  or,  like  Orpah,  they 
have  false  gods.  Whatever  they  like  best  is  their  god.  Their 
belly  is  their  god,  money  is  their  god,  or  the  god  of  this  world  is 
their  god.  But,  ah  !  he  is  not  sin-pardoning.  Your  converted 
friends  have  found  a  sin-pardoning  God — one  that  washes  out 
their  sins  in  blood,  though  red  as  scarlet — the  God  and  Father  of 
Jesus — one  that  forgets  sins  :  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
thy  transgressions,  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy 
sins  " — "  Thou  hast  put  all  my  sins  behind  thy  back  " — one  that 
is  the  prodigal's  Father  :  "  When  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his 
Father  saw  him."  Should  you  not  cleave  to  them  ?  They  had 
the  same  sins  as  you — perhaps  they  have  sinned  along  with  you. 
Why  should  you  despair,  if  they  have  found  mercy  ?  Cleave  to 
the  skirt  of  their  garment ;  for  God  is  with  them. 

^.  Their  God  is  a  faithful  God — faithful  to  them  in  enabling 
them  to  persevere  :  "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee  " — 
"  He  who  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will  perform  it  until 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ  " — "Even  to  old  age  1  am  he." — Isa.  xlvi., 
4.  When  once  he  takes  a  brand  out  of  the  fire,  he  never  lets  it 
fall  in  again.  He  will  let  heaven  and  earth  fall  sooner  than  one 
of  his  own.  He  keeps  them  night  and  day.  The  souls  u'hom 
God  chose  four  years  ago  in  this  place,  he  has  kept  to  this  day. 
Often  they  have  been  ready  to  die  :  "  Then  the  Lord  sent  from 
above  ;  he  took  me,  he  drew  me  out  of  many  waters  " — "  When 
the  poor  and  needy  seek  water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue 
faileth  for  thirst,  I  the  Lord  Will  hear  them  :  I  the  God  of  Israel 
will  not  forsake  them." 

Faithful  in  temptations  :  "  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but  will  with  the 
temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to 
bear  it."  Look  back,  believers,  on  your  temptations.  They 
have  been  very  dreadful.  You  have  been  on  the  brink  of  ruin. 
The  Lord  has  delivered  you. 

Faithful  in  afflictions:  "  When  thou  passest through  the  waters, 
I  will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  over- 
flow thee."  Do  you  not  see  they  have  a  refuge  in  the  storm? 
Believers  in  this  place  have  passed  through  many  sore  trials 
within  these  four  years  ;  yet  God  has  been  their  refuge.  He  is  a 
strength  to  the  poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress.  Do 
you  not  see  in  the  hour  of  trial  what  a  rest  they  found  in  God,  in 
the  Saviour  ?  how  they  poured  out  their  sorrows  into  the  ear  of 
their  High  Priest  ?     Cleave  you  to  them. 

n.   Their  people  are  a  happy  people. 

Naomi  was  one  of  the  peculiar  people  of  Israel.     It  was  this 


372  SERMON    LXIV. 

people  that  Ruth  was  going  to  join.  But  converted  persons 
amongst  us  have  joined  the  true  Israel,  a  still  more  peculiar  people. 
They  have  been  added  to  the  Church,  such  as  have  been  saved. 

1.  They  are  a  pardoned  people:  "Blessed  is  the  man  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven."  They  have  all  this  blessedness.  Sin 
is  the  greatest  curse  and  burden  in  this  world.  Sin  makes  the 
world  groan,  makes  damned  souls  shrink,  and  makes  hell  blaze. 
But  this  people  have  no  unpardoned  sin  lying  upon  them.  They 
are  washed  whiter  thaii  snow.  They  are  all  fair,  without  so 
much  as  a  spot  on  them.  They  are  as  clean  in  God's  pure  eye  as 
Christ  is,  Christ  carried  all  their  sins,  they  carry  all  his  right- 
eousness. Christ  has  suffered  all  their  hell.  They  are  in  the  love 
of  God.  God  delights  in  them.  Are  they  not  a  happy  people? 
Are  they  not  happier  than  you,  who  have  as  much  sin  as  would 
sink  a  world  ? 

2.  A  holy  people,  all  born  again,  all  have  received  the  Holy 
Spirit.  He  dwells  in  them,  and  will  never  leave  them.  They 
have  an  old  heart ;  still  the  Spirit  reigns  in  them.  They  walk 
after  the  Spirit,  they  love  in  the  Spirit,  they  pray  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Of  themselves  they  cannot  pray  ;  but  the  Spirit  teaches 
them.  Heaven  is  begun  in  their  hearts.  They  have  a  little 
of  heaven  now.  Do  you  not  see  that  they  have  left  off  your 
carnal  pleasures  1  "I  had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house 
of  my  God,  than  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness."  Do  you  see 
no  difference  in  their  tempers,  habits,  lives  ?  Are  they  not 
calmer,  happier,  heavenlier,  than  they  were  before  ?  Seek  what 
they  have  found. 

3.  All  things  work  together  for  their  good.  Perhaps  you  will 
say  they  are  an  afflicted  people.  Some  in  poverty,  some  bereaved, 
some  groaning  on  sick-beds.  True,  God  dealeth  with  them  as 
with  sons.  Often  they  cry.  These  things  are  against  me.  All /or 
them.  If  we  could  see  the  end  as  God  does,  we  would  see  that 
every  event  is/o?-  the  believer.  When  we  get  to  the  haven,  we 
will  see  that  every  wind  was  wafting  us  to  glory. 

4.  In  death.  Even  wicked  Balaam  said  :  "  Let  me  die  the 
death  of  the  righteous."  "  Mark  the  perfect,  and  behold  the 
upright ;  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace."  God  calls  upon  you 
to  mark  the  death-bed  of  his  children.  Sometimes  it  is  triumph- 
ant, like  Stephen :  "  Behold  I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son 
of  Man  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  Spirit."  Almost  always  peaceful.  Or,  if  it  be  that  the  sun 
goes  down  in  a  cloud,  O  how  sweet  the  surprise,  when  the 
believer  finds  himself  on  the  other  side  of  Jordan  !  at  the  pearly 
gate  of  the  New  Jerusalem !  in  the  arms  of  the  angels  !  in  the 
hmile  of  Jesus!  "There  is  a  rest  remaining  for  the  people  of 
Ciod."  Will  you  not  cleave  to  your  godly  child,  parent,  brother, 
^ister,  friend?     You  have   sported  together,  you  have  sinned 


SERMON   LXIV.  373 

together,  will  you  not  be  blessed  together  ?     "  Thy  people  shall 
be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God." 

III.  They  want  you  to  go  with  them. 

It  is  .plain  that  Naomi  wanted  Ruth  to  go  with  her  ;  only  she 
wanted  her  to  go  not  out  of  mere  natural  affection,  but  out  otlove 
to  Israel's  God.  Moses  wanted  Hobab,  his  brother-in-law,  to  go 
with  him.  Moses  knew  the  value  of  the  soul :  "  We  are  journey- 
ing unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you. 
Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good."  Jeremiah  wanted 
the  Jews  of  his  day  to  go  with  him  :  "  Give  glory  to  the  Lord 
your  God,  before  he  cause  darkness,  and  before  your  feet  stumble 
upon  the  dark  mountains,  and,  while  ye  look  for  light,  he  turn  it 
into  the  shadow  of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness.  But  if  ye 
will  not  hear  it,  my  soul  shall  weep  in  secret  places  for  your 
pride." — Jer.  xiii.,  16,  17.  Your  converted  friends  want  you  to 
go  with  them.  They  may  not  have  boldness  to  tell  you  so.  It 
is  easier  to  speak  to  a  stranger  than  to  a  friend.  Do  you  not  see 
their  anxiety  in  their  eyes  ?  Do  you  not  see  how  anxious  they 
are  that  you  would  come  to  the  house  of  prayer  ?  They  pray 
for  you  in  secret.  Often  when  you  are  sleeping  they  are  praying 
for  you.  They  weep  for  you  "  in  secret  places,  for  your  pride." 
Well,  if  you  will  not  go,  you  will  be  left  behind.  Still  weep  and 
pray,  dear  friends.  This  earth  would  be  too  like  heaven  if  all  we 
love  were  saved.     Oh,  what  a  sad  company  will  be  left ! 

IV.  Eternal  separation. 

When  Orpah  turned  back  from  Naomi  and  Ruth,  she  little 
knew  she  was  parting  for  ever.  They  had  lived  together  perhaps 
from  infancy.  They  had  played  around  the  same  palm  tree  ;  sat 
before  the  same  cottage  door ;  wandered  over  the  same  hills  of 
Moab  ;  now,  they  parted  for  eternity.  So  it  is  amongst  us.  There 
are,  no  doubt,  many  of  us  about  to  be  separated  for  eternity. 
How  strange,  that  two  trees  should  grow  so  near — one  to  flower 
in  paradise,  the  other  to  be  a  firebrand  in  hell ! 

Dear  friends,  do  you  not  see  some  whom  you  love  much,  really 
converted  and  saved  ?  Do  you  not  see  they  have  a  peace  that 
passeth  understanding,  while  you  are  still  loaded  with  guilt  ? 
They  are  growing  holier,  more  fond  of  prayer,  walking  more 
humbly,  riper  for  glory  ;  you  riper  for  hell,  your  sins  getting 
faster  hold.  Oh,  this  separation  will  be  for  eternity  !  You  may 
love  them  much,  but  you  will  ga  back  to  your  gods.  1.  You  will 
be  separated  at  death  ;  they  will  pass  into  glory,  into  perfect  day : 
you  will  lift  up  your  eyes  in  hell.  Besides  all  this,  2.  You  will  be 
separated  at  judgment.  When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  his 
glory,  he  shall  separate  the  sheep  from  the  goats  ;  those  on  the 
right  hand  shall  be  solemnly  acquitted,  rewarded  for  all  the  good 
works  you  see  them  daily  performing.      All  their  prayers  and 


374  SERMON    LXV. 

tears  for  you  will  then  be  recompensed.  You,  on  the  left  hand, 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment.  You  shall  look  on 
that  Saviour,  whom  you  now  despise,  and  "  wail  because  of  him." 
When  your  eye  catches  your  godly  friends,  how  you  will  weep 
and  wail  !  You  will  then  remember  all  their  love,  and  all  your 
madness.  Parents,  do  you  love  your  converted  children  1  Can 
you  bear  to  be  parted  eternally  ?  Will  you  cleave  to  Naomi,  or 
go  back  to  your  people  and  your  gods  ?  How  will  you  bear  to 
see  the  fruit  of  your  body  on  the  throne  with  Christ,  and  yourself 
a  brand  in  an  eternal  hell  ? 
St.  Peter's,  1840. 


SERMON  LXV. 

THE    VISION    OF    DRY    BONES. 
••  The  hand  of  the  Lord  was  upon  me,"  &c. — Ezek.  xxxvii.,  1-14. 

In  early  life  the  Prophet  Ezekiel  had  been  witness  of  sieges  and 
battle-fields  ;  he  had  himself  experienced  many  of  the  hori-ors  and 
calamities  of  war  ;  and  this  seems  to  have  tinged  his  natural 
character  in  such  a  way  that  his  prophecies,  more  than  any  other, 
are  full  of  terrific  images  and  visions  of  dreadful  things.  In  these 
words  we  have  the  description  of  a  vision  which,  for  grandeur 
and  terrible  sublimity,  is  perhaps  unequalled  in  any  other  part  of 
the  Bible. 

He  describes  himself  as  set  down  by  God  in  the  midst  of  a 
valley  that  was  full  of  bones.  It  seemed  as  if  he  were  set  down 
in  the  midst  of  some  spacious  battle-field,  where  thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands  had  been  slain,  and  none  left  behind  to  bury 
them.  The  eagles  had  many  a  time  gathered  over  the  carcasses, 
and  none  frayed  them  away  :  and  the  wolves  of  the  mountains 
had  eaten  the  flesh  of  these  mighty  men,  and  drunk  the  blood  of 
princes.  The  rains  of  heaven  had  bleached  them,  and  the  winds 
that  sighed  over  the  open  valley  had  made  them  bare ;  and  many 
a  summer  sun  had  whitened  and  dried  the  bones.  And  as  the 
prophet  went  round  and  round  to  view  the  dismal  scene,  these 
two  thoughts  arose  in  his  mind  :  "  Behold,  they  be  very  many  ; 
and,  lo,  they  are  very  dry." 

If  the  place  had  not  been  an  open  valley,  it  might  have  seemed 
to  his  wondering  gaze  some  vast  charnel-house,  as  if  the  tombs  of 
all  the  Pharaohs  had  been  laid  bare  by  some  shock  of  nature  to 
the  wild  winds  of  heaven ;  as  if  the  wanton  hand  of  violence  had 
rifled  the  vast  cemeteries  of  Egypt,  and  cast  forth  the  mummied 
bones  of  other  ages  to  bleach  and  whiten  in  the  light  of  heaven. 


SERMON    LXV.  375 

How  expressive  are  the  brief  words  of  the  seer :  "  Behold,  they 
are  very  many ;  and,  lo,  they  are  very  dry  !" 

No  doubt  there  was  an  awful  silence  spread  over  this  scene  of 
desolateness  and  death  ;  but  the  voice  of  his  heavenly  guide  breaks 
in  upon  his  ear :  "  Son  of  man,  can  these  hones  live  V 

How  strange  a  question  was  this  to  put  concerning  dry,  whitened 
bones  !  When  Jesus  said  of  the  damsel :  "  She  is  not  dead,  but 
sleepeth,"  they  laughed  him  to  scorn ;  but  here  wer6  not  bodies  newly 
dead,  but  bones,  bare,  whitened  bones ;  nay,  they  were  not  even 
skeletons,  for  bone  was  separated  from  its  bone ;  and  yet  God 
asks :  "  Can  these  bones  live  V  Had  he  asked  this  question  of 
the  world,  they  would  have  laughed  a  louder  laugh  of  scorn  ;  but 
he  asked  it  of  one  who,  though  once  dead,  had  been  made  alive 
by  God  ;  and  he  answered  :  "  O  Lord  God,  thou  knowest."  They 
cannot  live  of  themselves,  for  they  are  dead  and  dry ;  but  if  thou 
wilt  put  thy  living  Spirit  into  them,  they  shall  live.  So,  then,  thou 
only  knowest. 

Receiving  this  answer  of  faith  from  the  prophet,  God  bids  him 
prophesy  upon  these  bones,  and  say  unto  them  :  "  O  ye  dry  bones, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  unto  these 
bones.  Behold  I  will  cause  breath  to  enter  into  you,  and  ye 
shall  live ;  and  I  will  lay  sinews  upon  you,  and  will  bring  up  flesh 
upon  you,  and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  put  breath  in  you,  and  ye 
shall  live  ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord."  Had  the  pro- 
phet walked  by  sight,  and  not  by  faith,  he  would  have  staggered 
at  the  promise,  through  unbelief  Had  he  been  a  worshipper  of 
reason,  he  would  have  argued  :  These  bones  have  no  ears  to  hear, 
why  should  I  preach  to  them,  "  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  ?" 
But  no,  he  believed  God  rather  than  himself  He  had  been  taught 
"  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  mighty  power ;"  and  therefore  he 
obeyed  :  "  So  I  prophesied  as  I  was  commanded.^^ 

If  the  scene  which  Ezekiel  first  beheld  was  dismal  and  desolate, 
the  scene  which  now  opened  on  his  eyes  was  more  dismal,  more 
awfully  revolting  still  :  "  And  as  I  prophesied,  there  was  a  noise, 
and  behold  a  shaking ;  and  the  bones  came  together,  bone  to  his 
bone  ;  and  when  I  beheld,  lo,  the  sinews  and  the  flesh  came  up 
upon  them,  and  the  skin  covered  them  above  ;  but  there  was  no 
breath  in  them."  If  it  were  a  hideous  sight  before,  to  see  the  val- 
ley full  of  bones,  all  cleansed  by  the  rains  and  winds,  and  whitened 
in  the  summer  suns,  how  much  more  hideous  now,  to  see  these 
slain,  bone  joined  to  his  bone,  sinews,  and  flesh,  and  skin  upon 
them  ;  but  no  breath  in  them  !  Here  was  a  battle-field  indeed, 
with  its  thousands  of  unburied  dead,  masses  of  unbreathing  flesh, 
cold  and  immovable,  ready  only  to  putrify,  every  hand  stifl'  and 
motionless,  every  bosom  without  a  heave,  every  eye  glazed  and 
Ufeless,  every  tongue  cold  and  silent  as  the  grave. 

But  the  voice  of  God  again  breaks  the  silence  :  "  Prophesy  unto 
the  wind  (or  Spirit),  prophesy,  son  of  man,  and  say  to  the  Spirit, 


376  SERMON   LXV. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  Spirit,  and 
breathe  upon  these  slain  that  they  may  Kve." 

Before,  Ezekiel  had  bent  over  the  dead,  dry  bones,  and  preached 
unto  them,  a  vast  but  hfeless  congregation,  but  now  he  hfts  his  head 
and  raises  his  eye  :  for  his  word  is  to  the  living  Spirit  of  God. 
UnbeUef  might  have  wliispered  to  him,  To  whom  are  you  going 
to  prophesy  now  1  Reason  might  have  argued.  What  sense  is 
there  in  speaking  to  the  viewless  wind,  to  one  whom  you  see  not ; 
for  it  is  written :  "  The  world  cannot  receive  the  Spirit  of  God, 
because  it  secth  him  not  ?"  But  he  staggered  not  at  the  word 
through  unbelief:  "  So  I  prophesied  as  he  comyjianded  me,  and  the 
breath  came  into  them,  and  they  lived  and  stood  up  upon  their  feet, 
an  exceeding  great  army." 

The  first  application  made  of  this  vision  is  to  the  restoration  of 
the  Jews.  1.  It  teaches  that  at  present  they  are  like  dry  bones 
in  the  open  valley,  scattered  over  all  lands,  very  many,  and  very 
dry,  without  any  life  to  God.  2.  It  teaches  that  the  preaching  of 
Jesus,  though  foolishness  to  the  world,  is  to  be  the  means  of  their 
awakening,  and  that  prayer  to  the  all-quickening  Spirit  is  to  be 
the  means  of  their  new  life.  3,  It  teaches  that  when  these  means 
are  used  with  them,  God's  ancient  people  shall  yet  stand  up,  and 
be  an  exceeding  great  army,  shall  be  as  they  used  to  be  when  they 
marched  through  the  wilderness,  when  God  went  before  them  in 
the  pillar  of  cloud  ;  that  they  shall  then  be  led  back  to  their  own 
land,  and  planted  in  their  own  land,  and  not  plucked  up  any  more. 
But  another,  and  to  us  a  more  important,  application  of  this  vision, 
is  to  the  unconverted  souls  in  the  midst  of  us.  Let  us  go  over  it 
with  this  view. 

I.  Unconverted  souls  are  Uke  dry  hones — very  many,  and  vtry 
dry. 

1.  They  are  very  many. — When  a  soul  is  first  bi'ought  to  Christ, 
he  enjoys  a  peace  in  believing  which  he  never  knew  before  ;  and 
not  only  so,  but  he  is  quickened  from  the  death  of  trespasses 
and  sins  into  a  life  which  he  never  knew-  before ;  he  knows  the 
blessedness  of  living  to  God.  But  even  with  all  this  joy,  there 
is  an  awful  feeling  of  loneliness  ;  for  when  he  looks  round  upon 
the  world,  he  feels  just  like  Ezekiel,  set  down  in  the  midst  of  a 
valley  full  of  dry  bones.  He  is  alive  himself,  but  this  world, 
once  all  his  joy,  looks  now  like  some  ancient  battle-field,  where 
the  remains  of  the  dead  are  all  lying  exposed  on  the  open  field  ; 
and  he  feels  %i  solitary  thing  in  a  world  of  dead.  This  world 
appears  now  like  one  vast  charnel-house,  where  whole  generations 
of  dead  meet,  and  are  jumbled  together — all  alike  fit  only  for  the 
burning  ;  and  he  feels  himself  a  solitary  living  thing,  moving  over 
heaps  of  slain.  He  feels  like  Elijah  on  the  mount  of  God,  when 
he  complained  :  "  Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged 
down  thine  altars,  and  I,  even  I,  am  left  alone."     He  feels  like 


SERMON    LXV.  377 

our  blessed  Lord,  who  was  a  light  shining  in  darkness,  and  the 
darkness  comprehended  it  not.  He  feels  as  if  he  were  a  feeble 
"  light  in  the  world,  holding  forth  the  word  of  life" — a  lamp  sus- 
pended in  the  densest  darkness,  whose  oil  is  all  supplied  by  grace 
from  on  high,  and  whosq  rays  seem  only  to  make  the  darkness 
more  visible.  He  feels  like  Paul  at  Athens  ;  for  his  spirit  is  moved 
in  him,  to  see  the  whole  world  given  over  to  idolatry.  He  feels 
like  Paul  at  Rome,  when  he  complained  :  "  I  have  no  man  like- 
minded,  who  will  naturally  care  for  your  state  ;  for  all  seek  their 
own,  not  the  things  that  are  Jesus  Christ's."  He  feels  like  John, 
when  he  said  so  sweetly,  yet  so  sadly :  '•  We  know  that  we  are 
of  God;  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness."  To  the  eye 
of  Sense,  O  what  a  happy  living  world  this  is,  with  its  shops  and 
markets  ;  its  compliments  and  companies ;  its  visits  of  ceremony 
and  visits  of  kindness  ;  its  mirth  and  its  melody  !  how  living  and 
life-like  is  the  whole  world,  from  morning's  dawn  till  midnight. 
But  to  the  eye  of  Faith,  what  a  lonely  wilderness  is  this  world  ! 
for  "  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness."  Is  it  not  so,  believing 
brethren  1  Is  it  not  like  Egypt  in  that  dreadful  night  when  there 
was  a  cry  heard  from  every  dwelling  ;  for  there  was  not  a  house 
where  there  was  not  one  dead  ?  Oh  1  it  is  more  dismal  far  ;  for 
in  every  house  there  are  many  dead  souls,  and  yet  there  is  no  cry. 
Look  into  your  own  family  ;  look  among  the  families  of  your 
neighbors  ;  look  into  your  native  town ;  are  not  the  many  all 
dead,  dead  souls  ?  The  most  are  dead,  dry  bones.  Nay,  look 
into  the  Christian  Church  ;  look  among  our  Sabbath  keepers,  and 
those  who  sit  down  at  sacraments  ;  O,  brethren  !  is  it  not  true 
that,  like  Sardis,  most  have  a  name  to  live,  and  are  dead  ?  Do 
not  the  most  of  you  live  lives  of  pleasure  ?  and  is  it  not  written  : 
"  She  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead  while  she  liveth  1"  Do  not 
most  of  you  show  no  love  for  the  brethren  ?  and  is  it  not  written  : 
"  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother,  abideth  in  death  ?"  .0  yes,  the 
most  are  dry  bones  I     Truly,  then,  "  they  are  very  many." 

2.  Theij  are  very  dry. — Dry  bones  are  the  furthest  of  all  from 
the  possibility  of  living.  (1.)  They  are  without  any  flesh  or 
comeliness.  (2.)  They  are  without  any  marrow  or  spirit.  (3.) 
They  are  without  any  activity  or  power  of  moving.  And,  oh  !  is 
not  this  the  very  picture  of  poor,  unconverted  souls — "  They  are 
very  dry  ?" 

(1.)  They  are  without  any  comeliness. — They  see  no  beauty  in 
Christ,  and  Christ  sees  no  beauty  in  them  ;  their  souls  are  lean 
and  ill-favored.  Man  was  made  perfect  in  beauty  at  the  first ;  for 
he  was  made  in  the  image  of  Him  who  is  perfect  loveliness  ;  but 
a  fallen,  unconverted  soul  has  no  beauty  ;  it  is  like  a  beautiful 
building  scattered  in  ruins  ;  it  is  like  a  beautiful  statue  all  defaced, 
not  one  feature  remaining  ;  it  is  like  a  beautiful  body  smitten  by 
death,  corrupting  in  the  grave. 

(2.)  They  are  without  any  marrow  or  spirit. — Man  was  made  to 


378  SERMON    LXV 

be  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit ;  and  it  is  only  when 
we  are  led  by  the  Spirit  that  we  are  alive  unto  God.  But  the 
unconverted  soul  is  "  sensual,  not  having  the  Spirit."  The  Bible 
says :  "  The  world  cannot  receive  the  Spirit,  because  it  seeth  him 
not,  neither  knoweth  him."  They  have  no  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
their  hearts  ;  no  awakening  work  ;  no  convincing  of  righteous- 
ness ;  no  sanctifying  work ;  no  sealing  of  the  soul  ;  no  walking 
in  the  Spirit ;  no  love  in  the  Spirit ;  no  praying  in  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

(3.)  They  have  no  activity  or  motion  God-ward, — If  we  preach 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  unto  them,  they  have  no  heart  to  attend  to 
the  things  which  are  spoken  ;  dry  bones  have  no  ears.  If  we  tell 
them  of  the  wrath  of  God  that  is  coming  upon  them,  they  are  not 
moved  to  flee  ;  dry  bones  cannot  run.  If  we  tell  them  of  the 
loveliness  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  offers  himself  to  be  the  com- 
plete Saviour,  still  they  are  not  moved  to  embrace  him  ;  for  dry 
bones  cannot  stretch  out  their  arms.  Ah  !  these  dry  bones  are 
very  dry. 

Brethren,  is  it  not  possible  to  make  you  anxious  about  your 
souls  1  Can  you  sit  still  and  hear  how  dead  and  dry  they  are,  and 
yet  go  away  and  forget  it  all  ?  Can  you  bear  to  carry  about  with 
you  a  dead  stone  in  your  bosom  instead  of  a  heart  ?  Can  you  bear 
to  have  such  a  cold,  icy,  wicked  heart,  as  sees  no  desirableness  in 
the  lovely  Saviour ;  no  beauty  in  him  who  is  stretching  out  his 
hands  to  you  all  the  day — "  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,"  the 
"  altogether  lovely?"  Oh,  brethren  !  if  you  will  go  away  unmov- 
ed ;  and,  doubtless,  hundreds  of  you  may  ;  what  need  have  we  of 
witnesses  ?  Ye  yourselves  are  the  only  evidence  we  need  that 
unconverted  souls  are  "  very  many,  and,  lo,  they  are  very  dry." 

II.  The  second  lesson  we  learn  from  this  vision  is,  that  preaching 
is  God's  instrument  for  awakening  the  unconverted. 

Every  intelligent  man  among  you  has  been  puzzled  at  one  time 
or  another  by  a  seeming  contradiction  which  runs  through  the 
whole  of  the  Bible.  It  is  written  in  one  place:  "No  man  can 
come  to  me  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him ;" 
and  yet  the  whole  Bible  through  bids  every  one  of  you  come  to 
Jesus.  Again  it  is  wi'itten  :  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him,  neither 
can  he  know  them  ;"  and  yet  what  are  we  continually  urging  upon 
you,  but  to  receive  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  1  Again,  God 
opened  the  heart  of  Lydia  to  attend  to  the  things  which  were 
spoken  of  Paul — which  makes  it  plain  that  no  natural  heart  can 
attend  ;  and  yet  we  do  nothing  but  press  these  things  on  your  at- 
tention. By  nature  your  hearts  are  as  hard  as  adamant,  and  even 
demonstration  will  not  make  you  flee  from  hell ;  yet,  "  knowing 
the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men."  By  nature  you  cannot 
so  much  as  comprehend  the  beauty  and  loveliness  of  the  Lord 


SERMON    LXV.  379 

Jesus ;  and  yet  we  are  determined  to  know  nothing  among  you 
but  "  Christ  and  him  crucified."  Oh  !  what  a  mass  of  contradic- 
tion there  is  here  ;  and  yet  how  easily  it  is  solved  !  These  bones 
were  dead,  dry,  spiritless,  lifeless,  without  flesh,  without  ears  to 
hear ;  and  yet  God  says :  "  Pr-ophesy  upon  these  bones,  and  say 
unto  them,  O  ye  dry  hones,  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord."  And  while 
he  prophesied  there  was  a  noise,  and  "  behold  a  shaking  ;  and  the 
bones  came  together,  bone  to  his  bone  ;  and  when  I  beheld,  lo,  the 
sinews  and  the  flesh  came  up  upon  them,  and  the  skin  covered 
them  above."  Just  so,  my  unconverted  friends,  your  souls  are 
like  these  dry  bones — dead,  dry,  spiritless,  lifeless,  without  ears  to 
hear,  without  hearts  to  attend  to  the  things  which  are  spoken. 
You  have  such  blunted  consciences,  that  no  words  of  mine  can 
move  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come ;  you  have  such  hard, 
wicked  hearts,  that  no  words  of  mine  can  persuade  you  to  embrace 
the  beseeching  Saviour  ;  and  yet  it  is  by  the  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing that  it  pleases  God  to  save  them  that  believe ;  and  though 
our  words  have  no  power,  yet  God  can  work  almightily  through 
them  ;  and  this  is  his  message  unto  you :  "  O  ye  dry  bones,  hear 
the  word  of  the  Lord." 

I  earnestly  beseech  those  of  you  who  care  little  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Word  to  attend  to  this.  You  may  say,  and  say  truly, 
that  preaching  seems  a  weak  and  foolish  instrument  for  such  a  work 
— God  himself  has  called  it  "the  foolishness  of  preaching."  You 
may  say,  and  say  truly,  that  ministers  are  but  earthen  vessels — 
that  they  are  men  of  like  passions  with  yourselves — God  himself 
has  called  them  so  before  you.  But  you  cannot  say  that  it  is  not 
God's  way  of  converting  souls  ;  and  it  is  at  the  peril  of  your  own 
souls  if  ye  despise  it.  Keep  away  from  the  house  of  God  and  lock 
up  your  Bible,  and  you  put  away  from  you  the  only  instruments 
by  which  God  can  reach  your  dying  souls. 

III.  The  third  and  last  lesson  we  learn  from  this  vision  is,  that 
prayer  must  be  added  to  preaching,  else  preaching  is  in  vain. 

The  effects  produced  by  the  prophesying  of  Ezekiel  to  the  dry 
bones  were  very  remarkable.  The  bones  came  together,  bone  to 
his  bone  ;  the  flesh,  the  sinews,  the  skin  came  up  upon  them,  and 
covered  them  ;  but  still  there  was  no  breath  in  them — they  were 
as  dead  as  ever.  And,  oh  !  how  like  this  is  to  the  effects  which 
often  follow  on  the  preaching  of  the  Word.  How  often  is  a  peo- 
ple outwardly  reformed  !  Instead  of  Sabbath  breaking  there  is 
Sabbath  observance;  instead  of  drunkenness,  sobriety;  the  form  of 
godliness,  but  none  of  the  power  ;  the  bones,  and  sinews,  and  flesh, 
and  skin  of  godliness,  but  none  of  the  living  breath  of  godliness. 
Ah  !  my  friends,  is  not  this  just  the  way  with  our  congregations  at 
this  day  ;  abundance  of  head  knowledge,  but,  ah  !  where  is  the 
lowly  heart  that  loves  the  Saviour  ?  Abundance  of  orthodoxy 
and  argument,  but,  ah  !  where  is  the  simple  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 


380  SERMON    LXV. 

and  love  to  all  the  saints  ?  Does  not  the  Saviour  say  when  he 
looks  down  on  our  Churches  ;  "  There  is  no  breath  in  them  ?" 
Oh  !  then,  brethren,  let  us  one  and  all  give  heed  to  the  second 
command  to  the  prophet :  "  Prophesy  unto  the  Spirit,  son  of 
man  ;  say.  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  Spirit,  and  breathe  upon 
these  slain,  that  they  may  live.  So  I  prophesied  as  he  command- 
ed, and  the  breath  came  into  them,  and  they  lived,  and  stood  up 
upon  their  feet,  an  exceeding  great  army." 

Learn  two  lessons  from  this. 

1st,  Unconverted  friends,  what  dead  hearts  you  must  have  ;  all 
the  preaching  in  the  world  cannot  put  life  into  them.  What  hard 
hearts  yours  must  be ;  the  heaviest  hammer  we  can  lift  cannot 
break  them.  We  speak  the  weightiest  arguments  into  your  ear, 
yet  all  will  not  move  you.  We  must  lift  up  our  voice,  and  pro- 
phesy to  the  Spirit ;  we  must  bring  down  the  Almighty  Spirit  be- 
fore we  can  touch  your  heart.  We  try  to  convince  you  of  sin ; 
we  show  you  how  you  have  broken  the  law,  and  that  "cursed  is 
every  one'  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them  ;"  that  you  must  be  under  that  curse,  that  you 
will  not  be  able  to  bear  that  curse,  that  it  crushed  a  Saviour  to  the 
earth,  and  will  crush  you  to  the  lowest  hell.  You  are  somewhat 
impressed,  and  we  hope  that  your  heart  is  touched  ;  but  your  im- 
pressions are  like  impressions  on  the  sand  when  the  tide  is  out,  and 
the  very  next  tide  of  the  world  effaces  all.  We  try  to  convince 
you  of  righteousness.  We  tell  you  of  the  love  of  the  Saviour, 
how  it  passeth  knowledge ;  how  there  was  an  ocean  of  love  in 
that  bosom,  which  no  line  could  fathom — love  to  lost  sinners  like 
you;  how  he  served  in  the  stead  of  sinners,  obeying  the  law  for 
us  ;  how  he  suffered  in  the  stead  of  sinners,  bearing  the  curse  for 
us.  We  tell  you  to  believe  in  him,  and  be  saved;  you  are  melted, 
and  the  tear  stands  on  your  cheek  ;  but,  ah  !  it  is  like  "  the  morn- 
ing cloud  and  early  dew — it  quickly  passes  away." 

Ah  !  brethren,  what  hard,  iron  hearts  you  must  have,  when  all 
that  man  can  do  will  not  melt  them.  Your  hearts  are  too  hard 
for  us  ;  and  we  have  to ,  go  back  weeping  to  our  Lord,  saying : 
"  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?"  In  all  other  things  we  could 
persuade  you  by  arguments.  If  your  bodies  were  sick,  we  could 
persuade  you  to  send  for  the  physician  ;  if  your  estate  were  en- 
tangled, we  could  persuaJe  you  to  be  diligent  for  your  family — 
oh  !  how  readily  you  would  obey  us ;  but  when  we  demonstrate 
that  you  are  the  heirs,  soul  and  body,  of  an  eternal  hell,  you  will 
not  awake  for  it  all.  Even  if  we  could  show  you  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  himself— the  bleeding,  beseeching  Saviour — your  wicked 
hearts  would  not  cleave  to  him.  You  need  Him  that  made  your 
hearts,  to  break  and  bend  your  hearts.  Will  you  not,  each  of  you, 
go  away,  then,  beating  on 'the  breast,  and  saying :  "  God,  be  mer- 
ciful to  me,  a  sinner  ? " 

Learn,  2dly,  Believing  brethren,  what  need  you  have  to  pray- 


SERMON    LXVI.  381 

When  God,  in  the  chaptei-  before  (xxxvi.),  promises  to  give  a  new 
heart  and  a  new  spirit  to  Israel,  "  to  talve  away  the  stony  heart  out 
of  their  flesh,  and  to  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh,"  he  adds,  at  verse 
37:  "I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to 
do  it  for  them."  And  when  God  promises  to  give  to  Christ  the 
heathen  for  his  heritage,  be  only  promises  it  in  answer  to  prayer : 
"  Ask  of  me,  and  I  will  give  thee."  And  just  so  here  ;  when  he 
wishes  to  give  life  to  these  dead  carcasses  that  are  lying  in 
the  open  valley,  his  word  is :  "  Prophesy,  O  son  of  man,  unto  the 
Spirit." 

O  believing  brethren !  what  an  instrument  is  this  which  God 
hath  put  into  your  hands  !  Prayer  moves  Him  that  moves  the 
universe.  O  men  of  faith  and  prayer  ! — Israels,  who  wrestle  with 
God,  and  prevail ! — righteous,  justified  men,  whose  prayers  avail 
much  ! — you  may  be  a  little  flock,  but  be  you  entreated  to  give 
the  Lord'  no  rest.  O  pray  for  the  Spirit  to  "  breathe  upon  these 
slain,  that  they  may  live  !"  And  you,  selfish  Christians,  if  such  a 
contradiction  can  exist ;  you,  who  approach  the  throne  of  God 
only  for  yourselves ;  you,  whose  petitions  begin  and  end  only  for 
yourselves ;  who  ask  no  gifts  but  only  for  your  own  peace  and 
joy,  go  you  and  learn  what  this  meaneth :  "  It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive" — "  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was  also 
in  Christ  Jesus." 

Dundee,  Dec.  25,  1836. 


SERMON  LXVL 


CHRIST    THE    ONLY    REFUGE. 


"  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  : 
hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast." — 
Isa.  xxvi.,  20. 

This  passage  is  a  word  in  season  to  God's  people  in  every  time 
of  impending  calamity.  The  form  of  expression  is  evidently  taken 
from  that  dreadful  night  when  God  passed  through  the  land  of 
Egypt  to  smite  all  the  first-born  of  Egypt,  from  the  first-born  of 
Pharaoh  that  sat  upon  the  throne  to  the  first-born  of  the  captive 
that  sat  in  the  dungeon.  And  Pharaoh  arose  in  the  night,  he,  and 
all  his  servants,  and  all  the  Egyptians ;  and  there  was  a  great 
cry  in  Egypt,  for  there  was  not  a  house  where  there  was  not  one 
dead.  But  God  had  commanded  his  own  Israel  to  kill  the  pas- 
chal lamb,  the  type  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God, 
and  to  take  a  bunch  of  hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  the  blood,  and  to 
strike  the  lintel  and  the  two  side  posts  with  the  blood:  "And  none 


382  SERMON    LXVT. 

of  you  (said  he)  shall  go  out  at  the  door  of  his  house  until  the 
morning."  As  if  he  had  said,  "Come,  my  people,  enter  into  thy 
chambers,  and  shut  thy  blood-sprinkled  doors  about  thee ;  hide 
thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be 
overpast." 

It  may  be  difficult  to  determine  what  time  of  indignation  the 
prophet  here  refers  to.  The  prophecy  was  given  in  the  beginning 
of  Hezekiah's  reign,  when  many  a  destruction  was  yet  to  come 
upon  the  land  of  Israel.  The  invasion  by  Sennacherib  the  Assy- 
rian was  just  at  hand,  and  may  be  primarily  referred  to.  The 
invasion  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  seventy  years'  captivity,  was 
also  coming  ;  and  this  also  may  be  referred  to.  And  the  invasion 
by  the  Romans,  in  which  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  and  the  Jews 
finally  dispersed  over  the  world,  may  also  be  referred  to.  And 
in  all  these  coming  indignations,  God's  word  to  his  people  was,  to 
hide  in  their  chambers,  in  the  refuge  which  he  had  appointed  them, 
till  the  indignation  should  be  overpast.  But  most  of  all  does  this 
prophecy  refer  to  the  great  storm  of  indignation  which  God  is 
yet  going  to  bring  upon  the  world,  before  the  end  come ;  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  shall  come  a  second  time,  without  sin  unto  salva- 
tion ;  when  he  shall  come  again,  no  more  a  poor  man,  clothed  in 
a  seamless  garment,  but  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the 
greatness  of  his  strength  ;  "  when  he  shall  be  revealed  from  hea- 
ven, with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe."  In  that  day  of  awful  tribula- 
tion— which,  except  it  were  shortened,  no  flesh  should  be  saved — 
God  will  gather  his  own  as  it  were  into  chambers,  and  keep  them 
hid  till  the  storm  passes  over.  As  in  the  flood  he  brought  his 
little  flock  into  the  ark,  and  it  is  written,  "  God  shut  them  in  ;"  he 
shut  the  doors  about  them,  till  the  deluge  of  his  wrath  was  past; 
as  in  the  destruction  of  Jericho,  the  family  of  Rahab  were  gather- 
ed all  within  doors,  and  saved  from  the  wrath  that  came  on  all 
besides ;  as  in  the  destruction  of  the  first-born  in  Egypt,  God  kept 
his  own  Israel  safely  hid  in  their  dwellings ;  so,  in  the  last  storm 
that  shall  fall  on  this  poor  perishing  world,  God  will  gather  his 
elect  safe  under  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  saying,  "  Come,  my  peo- 
ple, enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee ; 
hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation 
be  overpast." 

The  doctrine  to  be  learned  from  this  passage  is  a  very  plain 
one,  namely,  that  in  every  time  of  calamity  God  bids  us  and  our 
families  find  refuge  in  Christ.     There  is  no  safety  anywhere  else. 

Christ  is  a  complete  refuge  in  every  storm. 

In  other  parts  of  the  Bible  Christ  is  compared  to  "  a  hiding- 
place  from  the  wind,  a  covert  from  the  storm,  and  the  shadow  of  a 
great  rock  in  a  weary  land ;"  he  is  compared  to  "  a  fortress,  or 


SERMON    LXVI.  383 

high  tower,  into  which  we  may  flee  and  be  safe ;"  he  is  compared 
to  "  an  apple  tree  amid  the  trees  of  the  wood,  under  whose  sha- 
dow we  may  sit  down,  and  his  fruit  be  sweet  to  our  taste ;"  but 
the  comparison  here  is  quite  d.fferent;  he  is  here  compared  to  our 
own  chamber  with  the  door  shut :  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou 
into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee." 

Now  Christ  is  like  our  own  chamber  with  the  door  shut,  in 
many  respects: — 1.  Because  there  is  safety  in  him.  There  is  no 
place  in  all  the  world  to  which  we  look  oftener  in  an  hour  of 
danger,  as  a  refuge  and  place  of  safety,  than  our  own  home,  the 
inner  chamber,  with  the  door  made  fast.  Brethren,  just  such  is 
Christ.  There  is  safety  in  him  :  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to 
them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  2.  Because  thei'e  is  quietness  and 
rest  in  him.  In  the  world  we  look  for  the  bustle  and  harassment 
of  business ;  but  when  we  enter  into  our  chamber  and  shut  the 
door  behind  us,  we  shut  out  the  bustling,  noisy  world ;  all  is  tran- 
quillity and  peace.  Brethren,  just  such  is  Christ.  In  him  the 
"  weary  are  at  rest."  We  are  "  without  carefulness  " — we  have 
"  quietness  and  assurance  for  ever."  3.  Because  our  home  is  a 
ready-made  retreat,  near  and  easy  of  access.  When  we  seek  our 
home,  we  have  not  to  soar  with  the  eagle  to  the  top  of  the  rugged 
rocks :  nor  like  the  dove  that  makes  its  nest  in  the  hole's  mouth ; 
neither  have  we  to  dig  into  the  earth,  that  we  may  hide  our  head 
there.  Our  home  is  near  unto  us.  Brethren,  just  such  is  Christ. 
He  is  a  ready-made  Saviour,  at  hand,  and  not  afar  off.  We  have 
not  to  ascend,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above  ;  neither  have  we 
to  descend  into  the  deep,  to  bring  Christ  again  from  the  dead. 
But  the  wo2'd  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth  and  in  thy  heart. 
Oh  !  he  is  a  near  Saviour ;  he  is  not  far  from  any  one  of  us. 
Now,  this  is  the  refuge  which  God  bids  his  people  flee  into  in 
every  storm :  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers, 
and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thee  as  it  were  for  a  little 
mom.ent,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast."  And  oh  !  it  is  an  all- 
sufficient  refuge  in  every  storm. 

1.  Christ  is  a  complete  refuge  in  a  storm  of  conscience. — The 
great  mass  of  unconverted  men  are  living  quite  securely  in  their 
sins ;  going  about  from  day  to  day  without  the  least  anxiety, 
though  they  are  abiding  under  wrath.  The  reason  is,  that  the 
vials  of  wrath  are  held  over  their  heads,  but  not  yet  poured  out ; 
the  flames  of  hell  are  burning  up  to  their  very  feet,  but  they  are 
not  yet  suffered  to  touch  them.  God  is  long-suffering,  not  willing 
that  "any  should  perish.  But  when  God  awakens  a  soul  to  know 
his  true  condition,  then  there  arises  a  storm  of  conscience  within. 
O  brethren  !  there  is  no  more  security  to  that  soul.  He  does  not 
feel  the  loathsomeness  of  sin  as  a  child  of  God  does  ;  but  he  feels 
the  ternbleness  of  wrath.  The  Spirit  has  convinced  him  of  sin. 
Every  sin  of  his  past  life  rises  up  behind  him,  and  seems  to  cry 
for  instant  vengeance  ;  all  the  sins  of  his  hands — his  taking  things 


384  SERMON    LXVI. 

that  were  not  his  own,  his  handling  unlawful  things,  and  writing 
abominable  and  foolish  things  ;  the  sins  of  his  feet — swift  to  shed 
blood,  swift  to  carry  him  to  the  haunts  of  sin  ;  the  sins  of  his  eyes — 
full  of  adultery,  and  that  could  not  cease  from  sin  ;  the  sins  of  his 
tongue — loving  and  making  a  lie,  putting  forth  words  of  clamor 
and  evil-speaking,  backbiting  and  bitterness,  speaking  shameful 
words  in  the  dark,  things  of  which  it  is  a  shame  so  much  as  to 
speak  ;  the  sins  of  his  heart — that  it  should  always  have  been 
like  a  fountain,  pouring  out  abominable  desires  and  loathsome 
affections  toward  the  creature,  whilst  the  Creator  was  unloved, 
though  the  loveliest  of  all.  Oh,  brethren  I  when  a  man  really  feels 
that  the  wrath  of  God  is  lying  on  him  for  a  whole  lifetime  of  sin, 
who  can  bear  that  storm  1  and,  worst  of  all,  when  the  Spirit  con- 
vinces of  sin,  "because  he  believes  not  in  Jesus?"  When  the 
sinner  feels  that  Jesus  hath  been  stretching  out  his  hands  all  the 
day,  and  he  hath  not  regarded  ;  that  the  gentle  Saviour  has  called, 
and  he  has  refused  ;  that  he  has  trodden  the  offers  of  mercy  under 
his  feet,  and  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace  ;  oh  !  then  does 
the  storm  of  conscience  rise  into  a  whirlwind.  The  fears  of  wrath 
lie  hard  upon  that  soul ;  they  are  like  waves  and  billows  going 
over  him.  His  wife  and  children  cannot  cheer  him  now.  His 
sinful  comrades  cannot  laugh  him  from  his  fears  now.  O  brethren  ! 
if  ever  you  have  seen  the  sad,  dejected  countenance  of  a  sinner 
convinced  by  God,  you  will  not  soon  forget  it.  He  is  not  sure 
but  his  next  step  may  be  into  hell.  When  he  falls  asleep,  he  does 
not  know  but  he  may  wake  up  in  hell. 

Oh  !  if  there  be  one  soul  here  thus  awakened,  afflicted,  tempest- 
tost,  and  not  comforted,  hear  this  word  :  "  Come,  my  people,  enter 
thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thy- 
self as  it  were  for  a  Uttle  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  over- 
past." True,  this  is  a  word  chiefly  to  God's  people,  who  have 
already  hidden  in  Christ  ;  but  Christ  is  as  free  to  you  as  to  them. 
In  him  there  is  perfect  safety.  In  him  is  quietness  and  rest.  He 
is  a  near  Saviour.  His  arms  are  as  open  to  receive  you  as  is 
your  own  home.  Come,  poor  sinners,  enter  into  this  chamber. 
Every  one  that  is  now  in  Christ  was  once  as  much  tempest-tost  as 
you  are.  When  a  man  is  overtaken  by  nightfall  on  a  bleak  moor, 
when  the  frosty  wind  blows  bitterly  upon  him,  and  the  wreathing 
snow  retards  his  every  footstep,  where  is  it  that  he  longs  to  be  ? 
what  spot  in  all  the  world  comes  oftenest  across  his  wishful  fancy? 
It  is  his  home — his  inner  chamber,  with  the  door  made  flist.  Oh! 
if  he  were  only  there,  he  would  be  safe.  Oh  !  poor  soul,  just  such 
are  you,  and  just  such  a  home  is  Christ — not  afar  off,  but  near. 
Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  Hide  in  him, 
for  he  is  a  hiding-place  from  the  wind. 

2.   Christ  is  a  complete  refuge  in  a  storm  of  providence. 

When  providences  are  all  favorable,  it  is  amazing  to  see  how 
careless  unconverted  men  grow  of  God  and  the  things  of  eternity. 


SERMON    LXVI.  385 

When  the  glow  of  health  has  been  long  upon  their  cheek,  they 
begin  to  live  as  if  they  were  to  live  for  ever,  as  if  there  were  no 
death  and  no  hell.  When  their  business  goes  on  prosperously 
from  week  to  week,  they  begin  to  feel  like  lords  of  the  universe ; 
as  if  this  world  were  their  own ;  as  if  their  houses  and  lands,  and 
money,  were  all  their  own,  and  they  could  never  part  company. 
And  oh  !  it  is  still  more  amazing  to  see  how  careless  even  the 
children  of  God  will  grow  in  such  times  of  long  continued  pros- 
perity ;  how  death  and  eternity,  and  to  be  with  Christ,  and  to  be 
like  Christ,  become  less  desirable  things  than  once  they  were ; 
how  like  they  become  to  the  world,  in  supposing  that  gain  is  god- 
liness ;  how  the  poor,  pitiful  possessions  of  this  world  seem  for  a 
time  to  come  between  and  intercept  the  view  of  the  inheritance 
that  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away  ;  how  the 
glare  and  the  glitter  of  this  present  evil  world  dazzle  their  eyes, 
and  dim  their  sight  for  beholding  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and  the 
land  that  is  very  far  off. 

Now,  it  is  deeply  interesting  and  deeply  instructive  to  mark  the 
panic  which  comes  upon  the  face  of  society,  when  God  makes  a 
sudden  change  of  providences  ;  when  all  of  a  sudden  the  sky  is 
overcast,  the  distant  thunder  begins  to  roll,  and  the  storm  of  provi- 
dence comes  on.  When  those  sudden  crashes  take  place  in  the 
commercial  world,  when,  like  the  avalanche  of  the  snowy  moun- 
tains, that  comes  down  upon  some  hapless  village,  smothering 
whole  families  in  the  midst  of  their  unthinking  gaiety  ;  when  those 
overwhelming  catastrophes  come  down,  involving  whole  families 
in  ruin  and  penury :  oh  !  it  is  strange  to  see  how  the  world  stand 
amazed  ;  their  wisdom  is  all  dashed  and  confounded.  Or,  when 
God  sends  a  time  of  wide-spread  sickness  and  death  ;  when  he 
seems  to  poison  the  very  atmosphere  ;  when  we  are  visited  by  the 
pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness,  and  the  destruction  that  wast- 
eth  at  noonday  ;  when  a  thousand  fall  at  our  side,  and  ten  thousand 
at  our  right  hand,  oh  !  it  is  strange  to  see  what  a  panic  comes 
upon  men,  and  paleness  upon  all  faces.  It  is  like  when  a  set  of 
fishing  boats  have  set  out  upon  an  excursion  when  the  wind  was 
fair,  and  the  sun  shone  happily,  and  the  blue  waves  curled  gently 
on  every  side,  and  all  is  joy  and  carelessness  in  every  boat ;  when 
suddenly  the  sky  is  overcast,  the  whistling  wind  rises,  a  dreadful 
squall  is  at  hand,  and  death  stares  every  man  in  the  face.  Ah  ! 
then  what  panic  seizes  upon  every  boat's  crew  ?  what  reefing  of 
the  sails  !  what  grasping  at  the  helm  !  how  one  seeks  to  run  into 
the  shore,  another  into  the  deep !  Such  is  the  panic  that  comes 
over  unconverted  men  in  a  time  of  wide-spread  calamity.  And 
oh  !  how  religious  they  now  become  !  how  they  look  grave,  and 
forsake  their  jests  and  loose  talking,  and  think  that  is  religion ! 
They  are  just  like  Israel  of  old :  "  When  he  slew  them,  then  they 
sought  him,  and  they  returned  and  inquired  early  after  God.  And 
they  remembered  that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  high  God  their 
25 


386  SERMON    LXVI. 

redeemer.  Nevertheless  they  did  flatter  him  with  their  mouth, 
and  they  Hed  unto  him  with  their  tongues.  For  their  heart  was 
not  right  with  him,  neither  were  they  steadfast  in  his  covenant." 

Now,  brethren,  in  such  a  storm  of  providence  Christ  is  a  com- 
plete refuge  ;  and  though  the  children  of  God,  in  such  times,  even 
they,  seem  to  be  in  doubt  and  jeopardy,  they  know  not  what  to 
think,  they  know  not  where  to  flee,  yet  they  may  hear  the  word 
of  God  above  the  storm  :  "Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy 
chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee ;  hide  thyself  as  it  were 
for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast."'  Just  as 
our  own  chamber,  with  the  doors  shut  about  us,  is  the  place 
where  we  have  quietness  and  rest ;  and  the  storm  may  rage  with- 
out, but  we  shall  not  feel  it ;  and  the  world  may  be  crying  aloud, 
yet  we  shall  not  hear  it ;  so  the  Lord  Jesus  is  a  perfect  refuge  to 
the  believer  from  all  the  storms  of  providence. 

Men  are  apt  to  think  that  the  only  good  of  hiding  in  Christ  is 
to  save  our  souls ;  that  when  an  awakened  sinner  hides  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  he  finds  pardon  of  all  sin,  and  peace  with  God,  but 
nothing  more.  But  the  whole  Bible  shows  that  there  is  much 
more  in  Christ ;  that  when  we  hide  in  him,  we  are  saved  from  all 
our  distresses ;  from  our  troubles  about  health,  about  money, 
about  the  world.  In  the  34th  Psalm,  it  is  mentioned  four  times 
over,  that  when  we  come  to  Christ,  we  are  saved,  not  out  of  one 
ti'ouble,  but  out  of  «//  our  troubles  :  "I  sought  the  Lord  ;  he  heard, 
and  delivered  me  from  all  my  fears."  Verse  4.  This  poor  man 
cried,  and  the  Lord  heard,  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his  troubles." 
Verse  6.  "  The  righteous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth,  and  deli- 
vereth  them  out  of  all  their  troubles."  Verse  17.  "Many  are 
the  afflictions  of  the  righteous,  yet  the  Lord  delivereth  them  out 
of  them  all,"  Verse  19.  And  the  reason  is  plain;  when  we  hide 
in  Jesus,  the  God  of  providence  becomes  our  God  and  Father,  and 
we  know  he  will  make  all  things  work  together  for  our  good. 
The  Lord  is  our  shepherd,  we  shall  not  want.  Whatever  tempo- 
ral good  may  be  taken  away,  we  know  that  our  eternal  good  is 
secure  :  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that 
he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against 
that  day,"     2  Tim,  i,,  12, 

Oh !  my  believing  friends,  why  should  you  be  discouraged  in 
this  time  of  wide-spread  sickness  and  calamity  ?  why  should  you 
be  cast  down,  as  if  God  were  covering  you  with  a  cloud  in  his 
anger  ?  These  clouds  may  be  a  few  drops  of  God's  coming  wrath 
upon  the  world,  they  may  be  like  the  first  of  the  thunder-shower; 
but  to  you  they  speak  in  the  language  of  love,  God  wishes  you 
deeper  hid  in  Christ,  he  wishes  you  more  separate  from  the  world  : 
"  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy 
doors  about  thee." 

We  never  would  know  the  blessing  of  a  home,  if  there  were  no 
winter  snows  and  winter  winds  to  make  us  crowd  round  the  happy 


SERMON    LXVI.  3^ 

hearth.  Just  so,  believer,  you  would  not  know  the  blessing  of 
such  a  chamber  as  Christ  is,  if  there  were  no  sicknesses,  and  dark 
impending  providences  to  make  you  live  more  in  him.  Come 
then,  believer,  let  every  drop  of  wrath  that  falls  around  you  speak 
with  new  power  to  your  soul,  give  new  light  to  that  faith  by  which 
you  cleave  to  Jesus.  Let  every  sigh  you  hear,  be  as  it  were  a 
voice  from  God,  saying  :  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy 
chambers." 

And  you,  poor  Christless  souls,  ah  !  where  shall  you  run,  poor 
sheep  that  have  no  shepherd,  defenceless  and  lost  in  this  world's 
wilderness  1  You  have  no  home.  Enter  into  your  securest  room, 
and  shut  your  door  ;  still  vengeance  can  reach  you  there.  God 
is  against  you,  his  wrath  is  abiding  on  you.  Oh  !  the  day  of  the 
Lord  is  darkness,  and  not  light  to  you.  Wherever  you  go,  you 
are  a  lost  soul :  "  As  if  a  man  did  flee  from  a  lion,  and  a  bear  met 
him  ;  or  went  into  the  house,  and  leaned  his  hand  on  the  wall,  and 
a  serpent  bit  him."  Oh,  brethren  !  ye  are  men,  ye  have  reason, 
will  ye  not  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  Will  these  wasting 
sicknesses  not  convince  you  that  God  is  stronger  than  you,  that 
you  will  be  nothing  in  the  hands  of  an  angry  God  ?  Even  to  you, 
then,  Christ,  the  door  of  salvation,  is  still  open,  wide  open.  Come, 
poor  sinners,  enter  into  this  chamber,  and  shut  thy  doors  about 
thee.  "  Hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  in- 
dignation be  overpast." 

There  are  just  two  remarks  I  would  make  in  conclusion : 

1.  That  this  passage  bids  us  hide  in  Christ,  not  singly,  but  in 
families.  In  that  deliverance  which  God  wrought  for  Israel  in 
Egypt  he  taught  this  very  remarkably ;  for  he  did  not  gather 
Israel  into  some  great  tower  where  they  might  be  safe,  but  bade 
each  family  remain  within  their  own  house,  only  sprinkling  the 
doors  with  blood  ;  and  so,  in  saving  Noah,  God  saved  not  single 
souls,  but  a  whole  family  ;  and  so  in  saving  Lot,  God  saved  Lot, 
and  all  that  were  his ;  and  so,  in  saving  Rahab,  she  and  all  her 
household  were  gathered  in  and  saved.  My  friends,  God  is  still 
the  God  of  families,  and  still  does  he  v^^ish  whole  families  of  you 
to  be  saved  ;  and  he  says  as  much  in  the  words  before  me  : 
"Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers."  Alas!  my 
friends,  we  live  in  days  when  family  religion  is  fallen  to  the  ground. 
Men  are  too  proud  now  to  be  like  Abraham,  and  to  command  their 
children  and  their  servants  after  them.  Men  nowadays  take  up 
the  words  of  Cain,  and  say  :  "  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  Ah  ! 
where  are  our  Andrews  now  ?  "  Andrew  first  findeth  his  own 
brother,  Peter,  and  saith  unto  him.  We  have  found  the  Christ ;  and 
he  brought  him  to  Jesus." 

What !  IS  there  one  of  you  who  thinks  himself  a  child  of  God, 
who  is  yet  ashamed  to  kneel  down  in  the  midst  of  his  family,  and 
pray  ?  Alas  !  my  friend,  you  may  dream  that  you  are  a  child  of 
Abraham,  but  remember  you  do  not  the  works  of  Abraham.    Ah  I 


388  SERMON    LXVI. 

brethren,  whole  families  must  be  saved ;  for  whole  families  are  in 
danger  of  hell. 

Oh  !  then,  you  that  know  the  Lord,  do  not  your  bowels  yearn 
over  your  perishing  kindred  ?  Can  you  not  fall  on  some  contriv 
ance,  think  you,  to  win  them  to  Christ  ?  Will  you  not  strengthen 
our  hands,  at  least,  by  your  words  and  prayers,  and  by  opening 
the  way  for  the  minister  of  Christ  into  the  bosom  of  your  uncon- 
verted families  ?  Ah  !  in  this  time  of  trouble,  will  you  not  lay 
hands  on  them,  as  the  angels  did  on  Lot  ?  Hark  !  the  Lord  in- 
vites you  :  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and 
shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  mo- 
ment, until  the  indignation  be  overpast." 

2.  I  observe  that  the  dangers  to  which  the  believer  is  exposed 
are  but  for  a  time.  God  says  :  *'  Hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a 
little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast."  It  was  so  in 
that  night  when  God  smote  the  first-born  in  Egypt.  It  was  but 
a  night  that  they  were  to  hide  in  their  houses  :  "  None  of  you 
shall  go  out  of  his  house  until  the  morning."  It  was  so  in  the  de- 
struction of  Jericho — Rahab  and  her  kindred  hid  themselves  seven 
days,  till  the  danger  was  overpast.  And  just  so  the  troubles  of 
believers  now  are  for  a  very  short  time :  "  These  light  afflictions 
are  but  for  a  moment."  And  also  the  indignation  which  is 
coming  on  the  world  will  be  but  for  a  little  moment — it  will  soon 
be  overpast. 

(l.)  Temporal  troubles  are  but  for  a  moment ;  these  sad  sick- 
nesses and  wasting  calamities  will  not  last  for  ever — a  short  while, 
and  this  body  will  be  past  the  power  of  pain  to  grieve  it.  I  know 
that  if  any  of  you  have  tasted  the  sweetness  of  being  in  Christ, 
you  could  be  content  to  hide  in  him  for  an  eternity.  Welcome  an 
eternity  of  outward  troubles,  if  I  have  such  a  hiding-place.  But 
you  are  not  asked  to  do  this  :  "  Hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little 
moment."  Live  but  a  few  years  more  in  faith,  and  thou  shalt  live 
the  rest  in  glory  :  "  If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him." 

(2.)  The  indignation  of  the  latter  day  will  be  but  for  a  moment. 
Days  of  wrath  are  coming,  my  friends  ;  it  is  vain  to  conceal  it — 
such  as  the  world  has  never  known  before.  And  if  these  days 
were  not  shortened,  no  flesh  could  be  saved  ;  but  for  the  elect's 
sake  they  shall  be  shortened — they  shall  be  made  as  a  little 
moment.  Whether  these  days  of  trouble  shall  be  in  our  day,  I 
do  not  know  ;  for  we  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  when 
the  Son  of  Man  cometh.  But  this  I  do  know,  that  there  is  no 
safety,  no,  not  for  another  night,  for  any  soul  that  is  not  hiding  in 
the  Saviour.  I  repeat  it,  my  friends,  if  you  lie  down  in  your  bed 
this  night  out  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  Man  may  be  come  before  the 
morning,  and  you  be  cut  in  sunder,  and  have  your  portion  with 
the  hypocrites,  where  is  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

But,  O  believer  !  hidden  in  the  deft  Rock,  abide  in  him.    As 


SERMON    LXVH,  389 

the  sky  darkens  around  you,  hide  deeper  in  him.  It  is  only  for  a 
short  time — one  dark,  dark  cloud,  and  eternal  sunshine  beyond — 
one  wild  wave  of  vengeance,  and  an  unbounded  ocean  of  glory. 

Little  children,  abide  in  him,  that  when  he  shall  appear  ye  may 
have  confidence,  and  not  be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming  : 
"  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy 
doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until 
the  indignation  be  overpast." 

Dundee,  Jan.  15,  1837. 


SERMON  LXVII. 


WILL    YE    ALSO    GO    AWAY  .' 


"  From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him. 
Then  said  Jesus  unto  the  twelve.  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?  Then  Simon  Peter  an- 
swered him,  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life." — 
John  vi.,  G6-6S. 

I.  Lesson.  Many  who  seem  to  he  disciples  of  Christ,  go  hack,  and 
walk  no  more  with  Jesus. 

This  is  a  very  solemn  truth,  and  may  probably  answer  the 
case  of  some  who  are  this  day  hearing  me.  Observe,  it  is  said 
twice  over  that  there  were  many  who  went  back.  If  there  were 
many  then,  it  is  likely  there  will  be  many  now. 

1.  Many  follow  Christ  for  a  time,  hut  are  stumhled  when  they 
hear  they  must  come  to  personal  union  with  Christ. 

(1.)  So  it  was  here.  A  great  many  were  now  following  Christ 
in  addition  to  the  twelve  apostles.  They  were  evidently  much 
taken  with  Christ ;  they  called  him  a  prophet ;  they  wanted  to 
make  him  a  king  ;  they  followed  him  across  the  sea  ;  and  yet, 
when  he  told  them  that  he  was  ihe  bread  of  heaven,  they  mur- 
mured ;  when  he  told  them  that  they  must  eat  his  flesh  and  drink 
his  blood  to  have  eternal  life,  they  said  :  "  This  is  an  hard  say- 
ing ;"  and  it  "Was  for  this  reason  they  turned  back,  and  walked  no 
more  with  Jesus. 

(2.)  So  it  is  now.  A  great  many  persons  are  much  taken  with 
Christ ;  they  have  some  anxiety  about  their  souls ;  they  follow 
anxiously  after  the  preaching  of  the  Word  ;  but  when  we  show 
them  that  Christ  is  the  bread  of  heaven — that  they  must  have  a 
personal  closing  with  Christ,  as  much  as  if  they  were  to  eat  his 
flesh  and  drink  his  blood — these  souls  say :  "  It  is  a  hard  saying, 
who  can  bear  it?"  By  and  by,  they  are  offended;  they  believe 
not ;  they  go  back,  and  walk  no  more  with  Jesus.  Is  any  hearing 
me  in  this  condition  ?    Oh !  think  again,  I  beseech  you,  before  you 


390  SERMON    LXVII. 

go  back.  Oh  !  seek  the  teaching  of  God,  and  he  will  show  you 
that  none  of  Christ's  sayings  are  hard  sayings,  but  that  they  are 
all  sweet  and  easy.  When  the  heart  of  a  poor  Indian  was  brought 
under  the  teaching  of  God,  he  said  :  "  Some  people  complain  that 
the  Bible  is  a  hard  book ;  but  I  have  not  read  so  far  as  to  find  it  a 
hard  book.     To  me  it  is  all  sweet  and  easy." 

2.  Many  follow  Christ  for  a  time,  hut  when  they  are  told  that 
Christ  must  dwell  in  them,  they  go  back,  and  walk  no  more  with 
Jesus. 

(1.)  So  here  the  multitude  that  followed  Christ  were  pleased 
with  a  great  many  things  in  him.  When  he  fed  them  with  the 
five  barley  loaves  and  the  two  fishes,  they  said  :  "  Lord,  it  is  good 
for  us  to  be  here" — "  This  is  in  trulh  that  prophet  that  should  come 
into  the  world."  And,  again,  when  Jesus  told  them  of  bread  from 
heaven  that  would  give  life,  they  said  most  devoutly  :  "  Lord, 
evermore  give  us  this  bread."  But  when  Christ  said  :  *'  He  that 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in 
him,"  by  and  by  they  were  ofiended.  When  he  told  them  that  he 
would  be  their  life,  and  would  dwell  in  them,  they  said :  "  It  is  a 
hard  saying,  who  can  bear  it?"  They  believed  not;  they  went 
back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Jesus. 

(2.)  So  in  some  instances  with  Nicodemus.  When  he  regarded 
Christ  as  a  worker  of  miracles,  this  drew  the  heart  of  the  Jewish 
ruler,  and  he  said  to  him  :  "  Rabbi,  we  know  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God."  But  when  Jesus  told  that  he  must  be  born 
again  ;  must  be  dwelt  in  by  the  unseen  Spirit  of  God  ;  Nicodemus 
found  it  a  hard  saying  :  "  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is 
old  ?"     And,  again :  "  How  can  these  things  be  ?" 

(3.)  So  now.  many  persons  are  much  taken  with  Christ.  They 
are  anxious  about  their  souls  for  a  time ;  and  they  see  some 
glimpses  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour.  They  love  to  hear  the  Word  ; 
"  it  is  like  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice, 
and  can  play  well  on  an  instrument ;"  but  when  Christ  says : 
"  Ye  must  be  born  again" — "  He  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall 
live  by  me" — they  say :  "  This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  bear 
it?"  1st,  They  never  saw  the  Spirit,  and  they  say  :  "  How  can 
these  things  be?"  This  is  one  of  your  mysteries.  Therefore,  they 
go  back,  and  walk  no  more  with  Jesus.  Is  any  hearing  me  in 
this  condition  ?  Oh  !  think  a  moment  before  you  go  b^ack :  "  Oh  ! 
fools,  and  slow  of  heart,  to  believe  all  that  is  written  concerning 
Jesus."  Why  should  ye  stumble  at  the  blessed  word  :  "  He  that 
eateth  me  shall  live  by  me  ?"  True,  you  never  saw  the  Spirit ; 
yet  trust  the  word  of  Him  that  cannot  lie.  You  never  saw  the 
wind,  and  yet  you  spread  the  sail  ;  so  trust  to  that  Spirit,  though 
you  never  saw  him.  2d,  Some  of  you  may  fear  that  if  it  be  true, 
then  you  would  be  deprived  of  some  of  your  darling  pleasures — 
your  heart  would  be  changed,  and  you  would  no  more  have  a 
relish  for  your  present  enjoyments :  therefore  you  go  back,  and 


SERMON  LXVir.  391 

walk  no  more  with  Jesus,  Oh!  how  the  devil  blinds  your  under- 
standing. Do  you  not  see,  that  if  you  lose  your  relish  for  your 
present  joys,  it  will  be  because  you  have  got  a  taste  for  higher  and 
sweeter  ?  You  might  as  wisely  refuse  to  drink  better  wine,  be- 
cause you  would  thereby  lose  your  relish  for  the  worse.  Oh  !  the 
joys  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  sweeter  than  all  the  pleasures  of  sin. 
It  is  wine  on  the  lees,  well  refined.  "  Woe  unto  thee,  O 
Jerusalem !  wilt  thou  not  be  made  clean  ?  When  shall  it  once 
be  ?" 

3.  Many  are  awakened  to  follow  Christ,  hut  when  they  find  that 
they  must  he  drawn  to  Christ — that  all  is  of  free  grace — hy  and  by 
they  are  offended. 

(1.)  So  here,  the  persons  that  had  followed  Christ  had  been 
laborious  and  painstaking  in  following  him  ;  they  had  crossed  the 
sea,  and  listened  to  his  words  for  many  days  together  ;  and 
doubtless  they  began  to  think  they  had  done  well,  and  that  they 
were  worthy  to  be  saved  for  the  pains  they  had  taken.  But  when 
Jesus  told  them  that  salvation  was  of  mere  grace  ;  that  they  were 
helpless  sinners,  and  needed  still  to  be  drawn  to  Christ  by  the 
mere  good  pleasure  of  the  Father,  this  offended  them  to  the  quick  ; 
they  turned  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Jesus. 

(2.)  So,  now,  many  persons  set  out  in  religion,  thinking  that 
they  shall  soon  bring  tliemselves  into  a  converted  state.  They 
take  great  pains  in  religion  ;  they  confess  the  sins  of  their  past 
life,  and  stir  up  grief  in  their  hearts  because  of  them  ;  they  wait 
patiently  on  ordinances,  and  take  much  pains  to  work  the  works 
of  God  :  but  when  they  find  out  that  they  are  not  a  whit  nearer 
being  saved  than  when  they  began  ;  when  they  are  told  they  must 
be  drawn  to  Christ ;  that  God  is  not  obliged  to  save  them ;  that 
they  deserve  nothing  at  his  hand  but  a  place  in  hell ;  that  if  ever 
they  are  saved,  it  is  of  mere  free  grace  ;  then  they  are  offended. 
They  cannot  bear  this  kind  of  preaching  ;  they  go  back,  and  walk 
no  more  with  Jesus.  Is  any  hearing  me,  in  this  condition  ?  Alas  ! 
proud  sinner,  stop  one  moment  before  you  leave  the  divine  Sa- 
viour. Is  it  a  hard  saying,  that  an  infinitely  hateful  rebel  and 
worm  should  be  unable  to  buy  Christ  with  so  many  tears  and 
prayers  ? 

Ist  Warning.  Many  go  so  far  with  Christ,  who  do  not  go  the 
whole  way.  Many  hear  Christ's  words  for  a  time  with  joy  and 
eagerness,  who  yet  are  ofiended  by  them  at  last.  This  is  a  so- 
lemn warning.  Do  not  think  you  are  a  Christian  because  you 
sit  and  listen  to  the  words  of  Christ.  Do  not  think  you  are  a 
Christian  because  you  have  some  pleasure  in  the  words  of  Christ. 
Many  are  called  ;  few  are  chosen.  Many  went  back,  and  only 
twelve  remained.  So  doubtless  it  will  be  found  among  you. 
Those  only  are  Christians  who  feed  upon  Christ,  and  live  by  him. 

2d  Warning.  Those  that  go  back,  generally  walk  no  more 
with  Jesus.     Perhaps  they  did  not  intend  to  bid  an  eternal  fare- 


392  SERMON    LXVII. 

well  to  the  Saviour.  Perhaps  they  said,  as  they  retired,  I  will 
go  home  and  think  about  it ;  I  will  hear  him  again  concerning 
this  matter.  At  a  more  convenient  season  I  will  follow  him. 
But,  alas  !  that  season  never  came  ;  they  walked  no  more  with 
Jesus.  Take  warning,  dear  friends,  you  that  are  anxious  about 
your  souls.  Oh  !  do  not  be  easily  offended.  Do  not  lose  a  sense 
of  your  lost  condition.  Oh  !  do  not  grow  careless  of  your  Bible 
and  the  means  of  grace.  Oh  !  do  not  go  back  to  the  company  of 
sinners.  These  are  allmarks  of  one  who  is  going  back  from  Je- 
sus. Wait  patiently  for  the  Lord,  until  he  incline  his  ear  and  hear 
your  cry.  Still  press  to  hear  the  words  of  Jesus.  Still  cry  for 
the  teaching  Spirit.  "  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have 
no  pleasure  in  him  ;"  "  No  man  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough, 
and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God." 

II.  Lesson.  The  careful  anxiety  of  Christ  lest  his  own  true  dis^ 
ciples  should  go  away :  "  Then  said  Je^us  to  the  twelve.  Will  ye 
also  go  away  ?"     Verse  67. 

I  have  no  doubt  the  heart  of  Jesus  was  grieved  when  the  mul- 
titude went  away,  and  walked  no  more  with  him.  That  good 
Shepherd  never  yet  saw  a  lost  sheep  running  on  to  destruction, 
but  his  heart  bled  for  it:  "O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together  !"  He  could  see  all 
the  future  history  of  these  men  ;  how  they  would  lose  all  their 
impressions  ;  how  they  would  harden  in  their  sins  ;  how,  like  a 
rolling  snowball,  they  would  gather  more  and  more  wrath  around 
them,  and,  I  doubt  not,  he  wept  in  secret  over  them,  and  said  :  "  If 
ye  had  known,  even  you  ;  but  now  they  are  hid  from  your  eyes.'* 
He  traced  their  history  up  to  that  hour  when  he  would  say : 
•'  Depart  from  me."  But  however  much  Christ  grieved  over  their 
departure,  this  only  f^mned  the  flame  of  his  love  to  his  own,  so 
that  he  turned  round  and  said  :  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?" 

1.  Observe  how  much  love  there  is  in  these  words.  When  the 
crowd  went  away,  he  did  not  cry  after  him  ;  his  soul  was  grieved, 
but  he  spoke  not  a  word  ;  but  when  his  own  believing  disciples 
were  in  danger  of  being  led  away,  he  speaks  to  them  :  "  Will  ye 
also  go  away  ?"  ye  whom  I  have  cliosen  ;  ye  whom  I  have  washed ; 
ye  whom  I  have  sanctified  and  filled  with  hopes  of  glory  ;  "  Will 
ye  also  go  away  ?"  Oh  !  see,  Christians,  how  anxiously  Christ 
watches  over  you.  He  is  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks,  and  his  word  is  :  "I  know  thy  works."  He 
watches  the  first  decaying  of  the  first  love.  He  speaks  aloud  : 
"  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?" 

2.  Observe,  Christ  keeps  his  disciples  from  backsliding  by  put- 
ting the  question  to  them  :  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?"  It  is  pro- 
bable that  some  of  the  twelve  were  inclming  to  go  away  with  the 
rest.  We  are  often  deceived  by  example — carried  away  from 
Christ  before  we  think  of  it :  but  Christ  wakens  us  by  the  ques- 


SERMON    LXVII.  393 

tion  ;  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?"  Think  of  this  question,  you  that 
have  known  Christ,  and  yet  are  going  back  to  sin  and  the  world. 
May  God  write  it  on  your  hearts  :  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?" 
Christians,  if  you  would  keep  this  word  in  your  heart,  it  would 
keep  you  from  the  thought  of  going  away. 

III.  Lesson.     A  true  believer  has  none  to  go  to  hut  Christ. 

Both  the  Bible  and  experience  testify,  that  believers  do  often- 
times go  away  from  Christ.  The  same  lips  that  said  :  "  My  Lord, 
and  my  God,"  are  often  found  saying :  "  I  will  go  after  my  lovers." 
But  this  passage  plainly  shows  that  it  needs  but  the  word  of  the 
tender  Saviour  to  reach  the  heart  of  the  backslider,  and  he  says : 
"  Lord  to  whom  shall  we  go  1  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal 
life." 

Two  reasons  are  here  given  why  the  believer  cleaves  to 
Christ. 

1.  "  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life."  To  unconverted 
minds  the  words  of  Christ  are  hard  sayings ;  to  his  own,  they  are 
tried  words — words  of  eternal  life.  The  very  thing  that  drives 
the  world  aw^ay  from  (^hrist,  draws  his  own  disciples  closer  and 
closer  to  him.  The  world  are  offended  when  Christ  says  we  must 
eat  his  flesh  ;  it  is  a  word  of  eternal  life  to  the  Christian.  The 
world  go  away  when  they  hear  of  Christ  dwelling  in  the  soul  ; 
the  Christian  draws  nearer,  and  says  :  Lord,  evermore  dwell  in 
me.  The  world  walk  no  more  with  Jesus  when  they  hear.  It  is 
all  of  grace ;  the  Christian  bows  in  the  dust,  and  blesses  God, 
who  alone  has  made  him  to  differ  :  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life."  Dear  friends,  try  yourselves 
by  this.  Are  the  words  of  Christ  to  you  hard  sayings,  or  are  they 
the  words  of  eternal  life  ?  Oh  !  may  God  enable  you  to  judge 
fairly  of  your  case. 

2.  "  We  believe  and  are  sure  that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  living  God."  Ah  !  it  is  this  that  rivets  the  believing  soul  to 
Christ — the  certain  conviction  that  Christ  is  a  divine  Saviour.  If 
Christ  were  only  a  man  like  ourselves,  then  how  could  he  be  a 
surety  for  us?  He  might  suffer  in  the  stead  of  one  man,  but  how 
could  he  suffer  in  the  stead  of  thousands  ?  Ah  !  but  we  believe 
and  are  sure  that  he  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  and  therefore  I 
know  he  is  a  sufficient  surety  for  me.  To  whom  else  can  I  go 
for  pardon  ?  If  Christ  were  only  a  man  like  ourselves,  then  how 
could  he  dwell  in  us,  or  give  the  Spirit  to  abide  with  us  for  ever? 
But  we  believe  and  are  sure  that  he  is  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God,  and  therefore  I  know  he  is  able  to  dwell  in  me,  and 
put  the  Spirit  in  me  for  ever.  To  whom,  then,  can  I  go  for  a  new 
heart  but  unto  Christ  ?  O  dear  brethren  !  have  you  been  thus 
taught  ?  then  blessed  are  ye ;  "  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed it  unto  you,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."     Hold 


394  SERMON    LXVIII. 

fast  by  this  sure  faith — you  cannot  be.  too  sure,  and  then  you  will 
never,  never  go  away  from  Christ. 

Some  of  you  are  very  wavering  in  your  life,  like  a  wave  of  the 
sea,  driven  with  the  wind  and  tossed  ;  at  one  time  cast  upon  the 
shore,  at  another  time  running  back  into  the  sea.  There  is  no 
decision  about  your  Christianity  or  about  your  holiness.  Why  is 
this  ?  Ans.  Unbelief.  Oh  !  if  you  would  believe  and  be  sure, 
then  you  would  never  depart  from  him.  You  would  say  :  "  To 
whom  shall  we  go  1  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life." 

Dundee,  1837. 


SERMON  LXVIII. 

YE    WILL    NOT    COME    TO    ME. 
"  And  ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life." — John  v.,  40. 

There  is  nothing  more  sad,  and  nothing  more  strange  than  that 
when  there  is  a  Saviour  that  is  enough  for  all  the  world,  so  few 
should  come  to  him  to  be  saved.  If  a  life-boat  were  sent  out  to  a 
wreck,  sufficient  to  save  all  the  crew,  and  if  it  came  back  with 
less  than  half  of  them,  you  would  inquire,  with  anxiety,  why  the 
rest  had  not  been  saved  by  it.  Just  so,  when  Christ  has  come  to 
seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost,  and  yet  the  vast  majority  are 
unsaved,  it  behooves  us  to  inquire  why  so  many  are  not  suvedby 
Christ.  We  have  the  answer  in  these  words  :  "  Ye  will  not  come 
to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life." 

Doctrine. — Sinners  are  lost,  not  by  reason  of  anything  in  Christ, 
but  by  reason  of  something  in  themselves.  They  will  not  come 
to  Christ,  that  they  might  have  life. 

I.  SJiow  that  it  is  not  hy  reason  of  anything  in  Christ  that  sin- 
ners are  lost. 

1.  It  is  not  because  Christ  is  not  sufficient  to  save  all. — The 
whole  Bible  shows  that  Christ  is  quite  sufficient  to  save  all  the 
world  ;  that  all  the  world  would  be  saved,  if  all  the  world  were 
to  come  to  Christ  :  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  takelh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world."  The  meaning  of  that  is,  not  that  the  sins 
of  the  whole  world  are  now  taken  away.  It  is  quite  plain  that 
the  whole  world  is  not  forgiven  at  present.  (1.)  Because  the 
whole  world  is  not  saved.  (2.)  Because  God  everywhere  calls 
sinners  to  repentance,  and  the  first  work  of  the  Spirit  is  to  con- 
vince of  sin — of  the  heavy  burden  that  is  now  lying  on  Christless 
souls.  (3.)  Because  forgiveness  in  the  Bible  is  everywhere  at- 
tached to  believing.  When  they  brought  to  Jesus  a  man  sick  of 
the  palsy,  Jesus  seeing  his  faith,  said  unto  him:  "  Son,  be  of  good 


SERMON    LXVIII.  395 

cheer ;  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  thou  shall  be  saved.  The  simple  truth  of  the  Bible  is,  that 
Christ  hath  suffered  and  died  in  the  stead  of  sinners — as  a  com- 
mon person  in  their  stead ;  and  every  man  that  is  a  sinner  hath  a 
right  to  come. 

Christ  is  quite  sufficient  for  all.  and  I  would  prove  it  by  this 
argument :  If  he  was  sufficient  for  one  sinner,  then  he  must  be 
sufficient  for  all.  The  great  difficulty  with  God  (I  speak  as  a 
man)  was,  not  how  to  admit  many  sinners  into  his  favor,  but  how 
to  admit  one  sinner  into  his  favor.  If  that  difficulty  has  been  got 
over  in  Jesus  Christ,  then  the  whole  difficulty  has  been  got  over. 
If  one  sinner  may  come  unto  God  clothed  in  Christ,  then  all  sin- 
ners may.  If  one  sinner  may  have  peace  with  God,  and  God  be 
yet  just  and  glorious,  then  every  sinner  may  have  peace  with  him. 
If  Christ  was  enough  for  Abel,  then. he  is  enough  for  all  that  come 
after.  If  one  dying  thief  may  look  to  him  and  be  saved,  so  may 
every  dying  thief.  If  one  trembling  jailor  may  believe  on  Jesus, 
and  rejoice  believing,  so  may  every  other  trembling  sinner.  O 
brethren  !  you  may  doubt  and  wrangle  about  whether  Christ  be 
enough  for  your  soul,  but  if  you  die  Christless,  you  will  see  that 
there  was  room  enough  under  his  wings,  but  you  would  not. 

2.  Sinners  are  lost,  not  because  Christ  is  unwilling  to  save  all. 
— The  whole  Bible  shows  that  Christ  is  quite  willing  and  anxious 
that  all  sinners  should  come  to  him.  The  city  of  refuge  in  the 
Old  Testament  was  a  type  of  Christ ;  and  you  remember  that  its 
gates  were  open  by  night  and  by  day.  The  arms  of  Christ  were 
nailed  wide  open,  when  he  hung  upon  the  cross ;  and  this  was  a 
figure  of  his  wide  willingness  to  save  all,  as  he  said  :  "  I,  if  I  be 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  But  though 
his  arms  were  firmly  nailed,  they  are  more  firmly  nailed  wide 
open  now,  by  his  love  and  compassion  for  perishing  sinners,  than 
ever  they  were  nailed  to  the  tree. 

There  is  no  unwillingness  in  the  heart  of  Jesus  Christ.  When 
people  are  willing  and  anxious  about  something,  they  do  every- 
thing that  lies  in  their  power  to  bring  it  to  pass.  So  did  Jesus 
Christ :  "  What  could  have  been  done  more  for  my  vineyard,  that 
I  have  not  done  in  it  1"  But  if  they  are  very  anxious,  they  will 
attempt  it  again  and  again.  So  did  Jesus  Christ:  "O  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  your  children  as  a 
hen  gathereth  iier  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not !" 
But  if  they  are  still  more  anxious,  they  will  be  grieved  if  they  are 
disappointed.  So  was  Jesus  Christ :  "  When  he  came  near,  he  be- 
held the  city,  and  wept  over  it."  But  if  they  are  very  anxious, 
they  will  suffer  pain  rather  than  lose  their  object.  So  did  Jesus 
Christ :  The  good  Shepherd  gave  his  life  for  the  sheep.  Ah  !  dear 
brethren,  if  you  perish,  it  is  not  because  Jesus  wishes  you  to 
perish. 
A  word  to  anxious  souls. — How  strange  it  is  that  anxious  souls 


396  SERMON    LXVJII. 

do  most  of  all  doubt  the  willingness  of  Christ  to  be  their  Saviour ; 
yet  these  should  least  of  all  doubt  him.  If  he  is  a  willing  Saviour 
to  any,  O  surely  he  is  a  willing  Saviour  to  a  weary  soul !  Re- 
member the  blind  beggar  of  Jericho.  He  was  in  your  case,  blind 
and  helpless,  and  he  cried  :  "  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy 
upon  me."  And  when  the  crowd  bade  him  hold  his  peace,  he 
cried  so  much  the  more.  Was  Jesus  unwilling  to  be  that  beg- 
gar's Saviour  ?  He  stood  still,  and  commanded  him  to  be  brought, 
and  said  :  "  Thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."  He  is  the  same 
willing  Saviour  still.  Cry  after  him  ;  and,  though  the  world  may 
bid  you  hold  your  peace,  cry  after  him  just  so  much  the  more. 

A  word  to  careless  souls. — You  say  Christ  may  be  a  willing 
Saviour  to  others,  but  surely  not  to  you.  O  yes  1  he  is  quite  wil- 
ling for  you  too.  See  him  sitting  by  the  well  of  Samaria,  con- 
vincing one  poor  sinful  woman  of  her  sins,  and  leading  her  to 
himself.  He  is  the  same  Saviour  towards  you  this  day.  If  you 
do  perish,  it  is  not  because  Christ  is  willing.  He  wills  all  men  to 
oe  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  He  pleads 
ivith  you,  and  says  :  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  ye  die  V 

II.  True  reasons  why  men  do  not  come  to  Jesus  Christ. — It  is 
•ecause  they  will  not  come.  The  reason  is  not  in  Christ,  but  in 
I'hem  selves. 

1.  Ignorance  of  Jesus  Christ  is  one  reason  why  sinners  do  not 
come  to  him.  So  it  was  with  the  Jews.  They,  being  ignorant  of 
God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own 
righteousness,  would  not  submit  themselves  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.  And  so  it  is  with  many  sinners  amongst  u's. 
They  will  not  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  because  they  do  not  know 
him.  It  is  quite  amazing  the  great  ignorance  which  exists  in  the 
midst  of  us.  Some  who  have  lived  under  the  preached  Word  for 
years,  yet  do  not  know  who  Jesus  Christ  is.  He  is  an  utter 
stranger  to  them.  Some  do  not  know  from  whence  he  came,  or 
whither  he  has  gone,  or  who  sent  him  into  the  world,  or  why  he 
came,  and  why  he  suffered  and  obeyed.  Many  more  have  no  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  have  had  no  revelation  of 
Chirst  made  to  them.  They  are  ignorant  of  his  beauty  and  fitness 
to  their  own  case  as  a  Saviour ;  and  therefore  they  will  not  come 
to  Christ  to  have  life.  In  a  shower  of  rain,  you  would  not  turn  aside 
into  a  shelter  unless  you  knew  that  there  was  a  shelter  there. 
Though  you  had  lived  at  the  time  of  the  flood,  if  you  lived  in  com- 
plete ignorance  of  the  ark,  it  is  plain  you  would  not  have  fled  to 
it ;  or  even  if  you  had  known  it,  and  seen  it,  and  heard  of  it,  yet 
if  you  did  not  know  the  use  of  it,  you  would  never  have  fled  to  it. 
So  is  it  with  sinners  now.  Many  do  not  know  about  Jesus  Christ, 
though  he  is  the  only  ark ;  and  therefore  they  will  not  come  to 
him.  Many  know  something  about  Jesus  Christ,  but  they  do  not 
know  the  use  of  him  to  their  perishing  souls  ;  and  so  they  also 
will  not  come  to  Christ  to  have  life. 


SERMON    LXVIII.  397 

Do  not  live  in  ignorance  of  him,  dear  souls,  I  beseech  you. 
Seek  for  him  as  for  silver,  yea,  search  for  him  as  for  hid  treasures. 
Do  not  say  you  are  too  old  to  learn.  If  the  Spirit  be  your  teacher, 
he  can  make  it  quite  easy.  He  can  take  of  the  things  of  Christ, 
and  show  them  unto  you.  'Do  not  say  you  are  too  young  to  learn. 
Happiest  they  who  know  him  soonest !  Happy  lambs,  that  are 
soon  gathered  into  the  Saviour's  bosom  ! 

2.  Another  reason  why  sinners  do  not  come  to  Christ  is,  thai 
they  have  no  sense  that  they  need  him.  If  you  had  slain  a  man,  but 
had  no  sense  that  the  blood-avenger  was  pursuing  you,  you  would 
not  flee  to  the  city  of  refuge.  If  your  vessel  was  sinking,  but  you 
did  not  perceive  it,  you  would  not  get  into  the  life-boat.  If 
you  were  sick  and  dying,  but  had  no  sense  of  it,  you  would  not 
send  for  the  physician.  Just  so,  if  you  have  no  sense  of  being 
under  the  wrath  of  God,  and  exposed  to  hell,  you  will  not  come 
to  Christ,  that  you  may  have  life.  If  you  look  around,  you  will  see 
that  the  most  of  men  have  no  feeling  of  anxiety  about  their  souls. 
You  will  find  men  anxious  about  their  families  ;  about  their  money 
or  their  goods  ;  about  their  character  in  the  world  ;  but,  ah ! 
where  do  you  find  men  anxious  about  their  souls  1  If  you  ask  me 
why  so  few  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  I  answer.  Because  so  few  are 
anxious  about  their  souls.  Now,  if  a  man  be  never  awakened  to 
flee  from  wrath,  it  is  plain  and  certain  that  he  will  never  come  to 
Jesus  Christ.  The  three  thousand  were  pricked  in  their  hearts, 
and  then  inquired  after  Christ.  The  jailor  trembled  for  his  soul, 
and  then  was  brought  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  no  one  was 
ever  brought  to  Christ  without  being  convinced  of  sin. 

Careless  persons,  you  should  seek  these  convictions  ;  you  should 
cry  to  God  for  them  ;  you  should  try  to  get  your  heart  made  alive 
to  the  sadness  of  your  natural  condition  ;  for  if  you  are  never 
awakened,  you  will  never  come  to  Jesus  Christ ;  you  will  never 
be  saved. 

Anxious  persons,  you  should  seek  to  keep  up  these  convictions. 
They  are  easily  lost.  You  should  cry  to  God  to  make  them 
deeper  on  your  heart.  If  you  lose  them,  they  may  never  come 
back.  You  may  become  another  Lot's  wife — a  pillar  of  salt.  If 
you  lose  them,  you  will  never  come  to  Christ,  and  never  be 
saved. 

3.  A  third  reason  why  sinners  do  not  come  to  Christ  is,  that  the 
heart  rises  against  him.  Many  are  brought,  in  some  measure,  to 
a  sense  of  their  sin  and  lost  condition,  who  yet  cannot  be  persuaded 
to  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not  anything  in  Christ  that  pre- 
vents them— it  is  something  that  rises  up  in  their  own  heart. 
Christ  is  quite  open — he  is  a  door  which  no  man  can  shut ;  and 
they  would  fain  be  at  rest  in  him,  and  yet  their  proud  heart  rises 
up  against  him. 

There  may  be  two  reasons  for  this:  (1.)  Perhaps  your  anxiety 
has  set  you  upon  establishing  your  own  righteousness  ;  and,  there- 


398  SERMON    LXVIII. 

fore,  you  are  too  proud  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  This  was  the 
way  with  the  Jews.  They  were  not  only  ignorant  of  God's  right- 
eousness, but  they  were  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness ; 
and,  therefore,  they  would  not  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God. 
Perhaps  you  thought,  when  you  were  first  awakened,  that  you 
would  soon  find  your  way  to  peace.  You  thought,  by  tears,  and 
prayers,  and  amendment  of  your  life,  to  blot  out  past  sin.  You 
have  been  making  a  false  Christ  to  yourself,  and  that  is  the  reason 
you  do  not  like  the  true  Christ ;  and  Christ  says  of  you  :  "  Ye 
will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  To  come  to  Christ, 
you  would  need  to  forsake  your  own  righteousness — to  confess 
that  your  wisdom  is  folly — to  lie  down  empty,  and  vile,  and  with- 
out praise,  and  to  consent  that  Jesus  Christ  shall  have  all  the 
praise  ;  but  your  proud,  self-flattering  heart  rises  against  this  ;  and 
this  is  the  reason  you  perish :  "  You  will  not  come  to  me,  that  you 
might  have  life."  (2.)  Another  way  in  which  anxious  souls  keep 
away  from  Christ  is  this  :  You  have  been  shaken  off'  from  all  de- 
pendence on  your  own  repentance,  or  prayers,  or  amendment,  to 
make  you  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God.  You  have  laid  you  down 
in  the  dust,  and  confessed  that,  if  ever  you  are  to  be  justified,  it 
must,  be  through  the  obedience  and  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Now,  you  have  lain  so  long  thus  emptied,  that  you  think  Jesus 
Christ  should  have  been  revealed  to  you  by  this  time.  In  a  word, 
you  have  been  humbling  yourself  to  make  yourself  worthy  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Alas  !  this  is  a  still  prouder  thought  than  the  one 
before.  You  are  not  seeking  to  buy  forgiveness  from  God  by 
your  humblings  and  by  your  tears,  but  you  are  seeking  to  buy 
Christ  from  God  by  these  humblings.  You  think  that  your  hum- 
blings and  tears  deserve  Christ ;  so  that  you  have  been  attempting 
to  buy  that  which  buys  forgiveness.  This  is  a  deep  snare  of  the 
devil,  which  hinders  many  anxious  souls  from  coming  to  Jesus 
Christ  without  money  and  without  price. 

There  is  reason  to  think  that  many  souls  perish  in  this  way. 
They  fulfil  this  sad  word  of  Christ :  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me, 
that  ye  might  have  life."  I  would  leave  two  directions  with  anx- 
ious souls.  (1.)  You  must  be  made  willing  to  come  to  Jesus 
Christ,  if  you  would  be  saved.  You  cannot  be  saved  against 
your  will.  Some  people  have  hopes  that  they  will  be  lifted  into 
Christ  against  their  will.  This  is  impossible.  Noah  was  not  lifted 
into  the  ark,  but  God  said  :  "  Come  in."  So  Christ's  people  are  a 
willing  people.  They  come  willingly,  with  all  their  heart  and 
soul.  Not  only  do  they  flee  willingly  from  wrath,  but  they  flee 
willingly  to  Jesus  Christ ;  they  choose  to  be  saved  by  him  rather 
than  any  other  way.  If  there  were  ten  thousand  other  saviours, 
they  would  still  choose  Christ ;  for  he  is  the  chiefest  among  ten 
thousand,  and  they  feel  it  sweetest  and  best  to  be  nothing  and 
have  nothing,  that  Christ  may  be  all  in  all.  (2.)  God  only  can 
bend  your  will  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ :    "  No    man  can  call 


SERMON    LXVIII.  399 

Jesus  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  "  No  man  can  come  to  me, 
except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  It  is  God  that 
must  beat  down  all  your  proud  imaginations.  It  is  he  that  must 
reveal  your  guilt  and  nakedness.  He  must  make  you  feel  the 
emptiness  and  sin  of  all  your  self-righteousness.  He  must  reveal 
the  beauty  of  Christ  unto  you,  his  comeliness,  his  desirableness. 
He  must  convince  you  that  it  is  sweetest  to  have  no  praise,  and  to 
let  Jesus  have  the  whole.  Oh  !  seek  the  teaching  of  God.  The 
teaching  of  man  is  a  mere  dream,  if  you  have  not  the  teaching  of 
God.  Cry  night  and  day  for  the  inward  teaching  of  the  Spirit. 
*'  Every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned  of  the 
Father,  cometh  unto  me ;"  and,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out." 

III.   The  sinfulness  of  not  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 

The  words  of  Jesus  are  full  of  pathos — enough  to  break  the 
proudest  heart :  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life." 

1.  The  greatness  of  the  Saviour  shows  the  sinfulness  of  not 
coming  to  him.  He  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God  whom  sinners  are 
despising.  John  bore  witness  of  him ;  his  miracles  bore  witness 
to  him  ;  his  Father  bore  witness  of  him  ;  the  Scriptures,  on  every 
page,  testify  of  him  ;  yet  ye  will  not  come  to  him  that  ye  might 
have  life.  It  is  the  Son  of  God  that  hath  undertaken  the  doing 
and  dying  of  all  in  the  stead  of  sinners  ;  and  yet  you,  a  trembling 
sinner,  will  not  honor  him  so  much  as  to  trust  your  soul  upon  his 
finished  work.  Ah  !  how  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 
a  salvation? 

2.  The  loveliness  of  the  Saviour  shows  the  sin  of  not  coming 
to  him.  Methinks  there  is  a  touch  of  heaven's  melody  in  these 
words :  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me."  I  know  not  whether  they 
more  express  the  high  indignation  of  an  insulted  Saviour,  or  the 
tender  compassion  of  him  that  wept  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
over  Jerusalem.  It  is  as  if  he  said ;  I  have  left  the  bosom  of  the 
Father,  to  suffer,  and  bleed,  and  die,  for  sinners,  even  the  chief; 
yet,  O  sinner !  ye  will  not  come  unto  me.  I  have  sought  the  lost 
sheep  over  mountain  and  hill;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hands  all 
the  day  to  the  gainsaying  and  disobedient ;  I  have  cried  after  sin- 
ners, and  wept  over  sinners  ;  and  yet  ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that 
ye  might  have  life.  Ah  !  dear  brethren,  if  sin  against  love  be  the 
blackest  sin  under  the  blue  vault  of  heaven,  this  is  your  sin,  be- 
cause ye  trample  underfoot  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  do 
despite  unto  the  gentle  Spirit  of  grace. 

3.  The  very  anxiety  of  some  sinners  increases  their  sin.  Some 
sinners  are  very  anxious  about  their  souls,  yet  will  not  come  to 
Jesus  Christ.  They  are  in  search  of  a  saviour,  but  they  will  not 
have  Jesus  Christ.  Are  there  not  some  of  you  who  would  do 
anything  else  to  be  saved :  "  Will  the  Lord   be   pleased   with 


400  SERMON    LXIX. 

thousands  of  rams,  or  with  tens  of  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ? 
Shall  I  give  my  first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my 
body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ?"  If  we  would  bid  you  pray  and 
weep,  you  would  do  that ;  if  we  would  bid  you  fast  and  use  the 
shirt  of  hair,  you  would  do  that;  if  we  would  bid  you  afflict  your 
soul  and  body,  and  make  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land,  you  would 
do  that ;  if  we  would  bid  you  live  as  monks  and  nuns,  you  would 
do  that,  as  thousands  are  doing  this  day  ;  but  when  we  say.  Come 
to  Christ,  ah  !  you  will  not  do  that.  Ah  !  proud,  sinful,  self-ruin- 
ing heart,  you  would  choose  any  balm  but  the  Balm  of  Gilead, 
any  Saviour  but  the  Son  of  God. 

Oh !  that  these  words  of  the  sweet  Saviour,  whom  you  thus 
despise,  would  pierce  to  the  very  bottom  of  your  soul ;  "  Ye  will 
not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life." 

St.  Peter's,  July  30,  1837. 


SERMON  LXIX. 

IF    ANY    MAN    tHIRST. 

"  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." — John  vii.,  37. 

I.  Lesson.  Chrisfs  gracious  importunity :  "  In  the  last  day, 
that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried." 

The  feast  here  spoken  of  was  the  great  feast  of  taberna- 
cles, being  one  of  the  three  yearly  festivals,  when  all  the  males 
came  up  from  the  country  to  Jerusalem.  They  used  to  build 
tents,  or  tabernacles,  of  the  branches  of  palm  trees,  olive,  myrtle, 
and  willows,  on  the  flat  roofs  of  their  houses,  in  their  courts,  or  in 
the  open  streets  and  gardens.  In  these  they  lived  for  seven  days. 
The  priests  and  Levites  used  to  teach  and  preach  to  the  people, 
and  it  was  a  time  of  great  joy  before  the  Lord.  The  eighth,  or 
last  day,  was  a  holy  convocation,  when  all  the  people  met  in 
the  house  of  God  before  going  away  to  their  homes.  On  that 
day  it  was  that  Jesus  stood  and  cried. 

1.  Observe,  it  was  when  the  whole  people  of  the  land  were 
met  together  that  Jesus  stood  and  cried  :  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  Jesus  never  thought  his  words 
thrown  away,  even  if  there  were  but  a  single  soul  to  hear.  Never 
did  he  use  words  of  more  divine  power  than  when  he  spoke  with 
Nicodemus  alone  by  night,  and  with  the  woman  of  Samaria  by 
the  well  ;  but  still,  when  thousands  came  together,  Jesus  would 
not  miss  the  happy  opportunity :  "  Jesus  stood  and  cried."     O  my 


SERMON    LXIX.  401 

friends !  Jesus  still  stands  in  the  crowded  assembly.     May  you 
hear  his  voice  this  day  ! 

2.  Observe,  the  people  were  going  home.  This  was  the  last 
day  of  the  feast.  To-day  the  courts  of  the  temple  are  thronged 
with  Jews  from  all  parts  of  the  country ;  to-morrow  they  will  be 
on  their  way  home.  No  time  must  be  lost ;  speak  now  or  never ; 
"  Jesus  stood  and  cried."  I  doubt  not  there  was  many  a  Jew 
there  that  day  who  never  heard  the  voice  of  the  Saviour  again ; 
and  therefore  I  can  see  what  was  in  the  mind  of  Christ  when  he 
lifted  up  his  voice  so  loud  :  "  Jesus  stood  and  cried."  There  may 
be  some  here  to-day  who  never  will  hear  the  word  of  Christ 
again.  This  may  be  the  last  day  of  the  feast  to  some  of  you. 
Oh  !  then,  that  we  might  stand  and  cry,  lift  up  the  voice  like  a 
trumpet,  and  say,  '*  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and 
drink  ;"  and  O  that  you  would  hear  as  for  eternity  ! 

3.  Observe,  Christ  had  often  preached  to  them  before,  yet  he 
*'  stood  and  cried."  From  verse  14  we  learn  that  it  was  about 
the  middle  of  the  feast  (the  middle  of  the  week)  that  Jesus  began 
to  teach  in  the  temple  ;  and  no  doubt  he  continued  preaching  and 
teaching  till  the  last  day  of  the  feast.  Some  marvelled,  some 
murmured,  some  sought  to  lay  hands  on  him.  And  was  his 
patience  not  wearied  out  ?  Ah  !  no  ;  who  knows  the  long-suffer- 
ing of  the  Son  of  God  ?  How  justly  he  might  have  gone  away 
for  ever,  and  said,  "  If  ye  will  not  have  me  for  a  Saviour,  then  I 
will  not  be  a  Saviour  unto  you,  I  will  go  my  way  to  Him  that  sent 
me."  But  no  :  the  more  careless  the  Jews  became,  the  more 
anxious  he  became.  On  the  last  day  he  stood  and  cried,  "  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

Jesus  is  the  same  still.  Many  of  you  have  heard  his  words 
for  a  thousand  Sabbath-days.  He  has  stretched  out  his  hands  all 
the  day  ;  he  has  sent  all  his  messengers,  rising  up  early  and  send- 
ing them.  You  have  been  always  unmoved — living  in  sin — worse 
than  you  were.  Does  Jesus  give  you  up?  No;  he  stands  and 
cries  on  the  last  day  ;  he  follows  you  to  your  dying  day. 

Some  of  you  are  afraid  that  Jesus  will  not  receive  you  now, 
for  you  have  so  long  resisted  his  words.  Ah  !  it  would  be  quite 
just  if  he  were  to  say :  "  I  will  not  hear ;  I  will  laugh  at  your  ca- 
lamity ;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh."  But  no  ;  be  not 
afraid.  On  the  last  day  of  the  feast  he  stands  and  cries.  He 
speaks  more  loudly,  more  clearly,  more  freely  than  ever.  Oh  ! 
listen  to  his  words :  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me, 
and  drink." 

II.  Lesson.  Christ  is  the  smitten  rock. 

The  feast  of  tabernacles  was  intended  to  be  a  picture  of  the 

time  when  the  fathers  of  the  Jewish  nation  lived  in  tents  in  the 

wilderness.     It  was  intended  to  remind  them  that  they  too  were 

strangers  and  pilgrims  in  the  wilderness,  and  that  they  were  jour- 

26 


402 


SERMON    LXIX. 


neying  to  a  better  land.  But  there  was  one  thing  in  the  wilderness 
which  they  had  no  resemblance  of  in  the  feast  of  tabernacles — the 
smitten  rock  which  gave  out  rivers  of  water.  In  order  to  make 
up  for  this  deficiency,  it  is  said  that  on  the  last  day  of  the  feast  the 
Jews  used  to  draw  water  in  a  golden  pitcher  from  the  Fountain  of 
Siloam,  and  pour  it  out  upon  the  morning  sacrifice,  as  it  lay  upon 
the  altar.  They  did  this  with  great  rejoicing,  having  palm 
branches  in  their  hand,  and  singing  the  12th  chapter  of  Isaiah. 
Now  it  was  on  this  very  day — perhaps  at  this  very  time — that 
Jesus  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  them,  and — as  if  he  wished  to  show 
them  that  he  was  the  true  smitten  rock — cried  :  "  \f  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

Now,  Christ  is  the  smitten  rock,  because  his  blood  has  been 
poured  out  for  sin.  (1.)  The  rock  was  smitten  before  it  gave  out 
the  stream.  So  is  it  with  Christ.  He  was  smitten  of  God  and 
afflicted.  He  bore  the  wi-ath  of  God  ;  and  therefore  his  blood 
gushed  forth,  and  cleanses  from  all  sin.  Oh  !  you  that  fear  to  be 
smitten  of  God,  wash  in  this  blood  ;  it  flowed  from  a  smitten  rock. 
(2.)  The  water  gushed  forth  abundantly  when  Moses  smote  the 
rock.  It  was  no  scanty  stream  ;  it  was  enough  for  all  the  thou- 
sands of  Israel,  and  for  their  cattle ;  and  so  is  it  with  the  blood 
of  the  Saviour.  It  is  no  scanty  stream.  There  are  no  sins  it 
cannot  wash  out  ;  there  is  no  sinner  beyond  its  reach  ;  there  is 
enough  here  for  all  the  thousands  of  Israel.  (3.)  It  was  a  con- 
stant supply :  "  They  drank  of  the  spiritual  rock  which  followed 
them,  and  that  rock  was  Christ."  We  are  not  expressly  told  in 
the  Old  Testament  that  the  waters  of  the  smitten  rock  did  actually 
follow  the  camp  of  Israel,  but  some  learned  divines  are  of  opinion 
that  it  was  so — that  the  water  continued  to  flow  wherever  Israel 
went ;  so  that  it  might  be  said  the  smitten  rock  followed  them.  So 
is  it  with  Christ.  He  is  a  rock  that  follows  us.  He  is  like  rivers 
of  water  in  a  dry  place.     You  may  wash,  and  wash  again. 

III.  Lesson.  All  are  invited  to  cQine  to  Christ  and  drink :  "  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

1.  Careless  sinners  are  here  invited  to  come  to  Christ  and 
drink.  Men  in  their  natural  condition  are  quite  careless  about 
their  souls  and  about  Jesus  Christ.  They  thirst  after  plea- 
sure, they  thirst  after  money,  and  they  thirst  after  the  world  ; 
but  they  do  not  thirst  after  Christ  or  heavenly  things.  Yet 
Christ  wishes  us  to  cry  aloud  in  the  hearing  of  such :  "  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  Let  me  speak  to 
such.  You  have  no  anxiety  of  soul,  no  desires  after  Jesus 
Christ,  no  wish  to  receive  his  Holy  Spirit.  You  are  not  thirsty 
for  anything  beyond  the  waters  of  this  world  ;  you  are  quite 
happy  where  you  are,  and  as  you  are  ;  yet  the  day  may  come 
when  you  shall  be  a  weary,  thirsty  soul.  O  that  it  may  come 
soon  I     Now  Jesus  says :  "  If  ever  you  feel  thirsty,  remember, 


SERMON   LXIX.  403 

come  unto  me,  and  drink."  "  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye 
love  simplicity  ?  and  ye  scorners  delight  in  scorning,  and  fools 
hate  knowledge  ?  Turn  ye  at  my  reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour 
out  my  Spirit  unto  you  ;  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto  you." 

2.  Anxious,  thirsty  souls,  are  especially  invited  to  come  unto 
Jesus :  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 
Souls  awakened  by  God  are  thirsty  in  two  ways.  (1.)  They 
thirst  after  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  they  have  been  awakened 
to  know  their  lost  condition ;  the  weight  of  God's  anger  has  been 
revealed  to  them.  They  go  from  mountain  to  hill  seeking  a  rest- 
ing-place, and  finding  none.  At  last  they  sit  down,  weary  and 
thirsty.  They  feel  that  all  they  do  just  signifies  nothing — that 
they  cannot  bring  themselves  nearer  to  peace.  They  feel  as  if 
already  in  that  place  where  they  shall  ask  in  vain  for  a  drop  of 
water  to  cool  the  tongue.  Do  any  of  you  know  what  this  condi- 
tion is  ?  Then  you  are  here  spoken  to  by  Christ.  (2.)  They 
thirst  after  deliverance  from  sin.  Awakened  persons  generally 
put  away  all  outward  sin.  When  a  drunkard  or  swearer  is  awak- 
ened, he  puts  away  his  outward  sin  ;  but  he  is  far  from  being 
able  to  change  his  heart.  On  the  contrary,  most  wicked  and 
hateful  thoughts  sometimes  rise  into  the  soul.  The  heart  is  filled 
with  such  vile  desires  that  the  soul  is  almost  driven  to  distraction. 
He  goes  from  mountain  to  hill  seeking  a  new  heart,  but  finding 
none.  He  sits  down,  at  last,  weary  and  thirsty.  Do  any  of  you 
feel  this  ?  It  is  to  you  Christ  speaks  :  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

O  thirsty  souls  ! — afflicted,  tempest-tost,  and  not  comforted — 
why  will  ye  not  come  unto  Jesus,  the  smitten  rock,  to  drink? 
One  says,  I  have  sinned  too  much — I  dare  not  come  as  I  am. 
Ans.  But  are  you  not  thirsty  ?  Christ  says  :  "  If  any  man  thirst, 
let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  Another  says,  I  have  sinned 
against  Christ — I  have  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  warning  voice — 
I  have  mocked  at  his  messengers — I  have  profaned  his  sacra- 
ments— eaten  bread  and  wine  when  I  was  living  in  sin  ;  and 
surely  I  dare  not  come.  But  are  you  not  thirsty  1  Hear  what 
Christ  says  :  "  If  any  man  thirst."  Another  says  :  But  I  am  un- 
willing to  come  to  Christ — I  have  a  proud,  unbelieving  heart — my 
heart  rises  against  coming  to  Jesus  Christ ;  surely  I  dare  not  look 
to  Jesus.  But  are  you  not  thirsty  1  Christ  does  not  ask  the  wil- 
ling or  the  believing,  but  the  thirsty.  He  asks  no  more  :  "  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

3.  Thirsty  believers  are  here  bid  to  come  to  Jesus.  Among  the 
crowd  on  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  we  are  told  that  there  were 
many  who  believed  on  Jesus  (verse  31)  ;  and  it  was  for  their 
sakes  also  that  he  spake  these  blessed  words  :  "  If  any  man  thirst." 
All  true  believers  are  a  thirsty  people.  They  are  travelling  in  a 
wilderness,  and  therefore  they  need  the  rock  to  follow  them.  Oh  ! 
it  is  a  bad  sign  of  a  soul  when  there  is  no  thirst.     True  Christians 


404 


SERMON    LXIX. 


are  like  new-bom  babes  ;  they  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word; 
they  need  nourishment,  and  need  it  often  ;  they  cannot  live  with- 
out it.  Oh,  then,  hear  the  word  of  Jesus  :  "  Come  unto  me,  and 
drink." 

(1.)  Remember  you  must  come  to  Christ  before  you  can  drink. 
It  is  only  when  you  have  a  beUeving  view  of  the  Saviour  that  you 
can  receive  the  Spirit.  It  is  only  when  your  eye  is  fixed  on  the 
smitten  rock  that  you  can  drink  of  the  living  water.  Are  there 
not  some  Christians  hearing  me  who  seem  to  receive  very  little 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  Are  there  not  some  Christians  among  you 
who  often  exhibit  a  mean,  worldly  spirit  ? — some  who  are  easily 
betrayed  into  a  fiery,  passionate  spirit  ?  Why  is  this  ?  Ans. 
You  do  not  come  to  Jesus  to  drink  ;  you  do  not  keep  the  eye  of 
faith  on  Jesus  Christ ;  you  do  not  live  by  faith  on  the  Son  of  God. 
You  are  thinking  to  walk  holily  without  coming  unto  Jesus  day 
by  day,  and  hour  by  hour.  You  do  not  look  on  the  Lord  our 
strength  at  God's  right  hand  ;  therefore  you  receive  little  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

(2.)  Remember  when  you  come  to  Jesus  you  must  drink.  O 
how  many  seem  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  yet  do  not  drink ! 
How  few  Christians  are  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water  ! 
What  would  you  have  thought  of  the  Jews,  if,  when  Moses  smote 
the  rock,  they  had  refused  to  drink  ?  or  what  would  you  have 
thought  if  they  had  only  put  the  water  to  their  lips  ?  Yet  such  is 
the  way  with  most  Christians.  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him 
should  all  fullness  dwell.  The  Spirit  was  given  to  him  without 
measure.  The  command  is  given  to  us  to  draw  out  of  his  fulness ; 
yet  who  obeys  ?  Not  one  in  a  thousand.  A  Christian  in  our  day 
is  like  a  man  who  has  got  a  great  reservoir  brimful  of  water.  He 
is  at  liberty  to  drink  as  much  as  he  pleases,  for  he  never  can  drink 
it  dry  :  but  instead  of  drinking  the  full  stream  that  flows  from  it, 
he  dams  it  up,  and  is  content  to  drink  the  few  drops  that  trickle 
through.  O  that  ye  would  draw  out  of  his  fulness,  ye  that  have 
come  to  Christ !  Do  not  be  misers  of  grace.  There  is  far  more 
than  you  will  use  in  eternity.  The  same  waters  are  now  in 
Christ  that  refreshed  Paul — that  gave  Peter  his  boldness — that 
gave  John  his  affectionate  tenderness.  Why  is  your  soul  less 
richly  supplied  than  theirs  ?  Because  you  will  not  drink  :  "  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 

lY.  Lesson.  The  change  on  all  who  drink — they  become  foun- 
tains like  Christ :  "  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture 
hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water." — 
John  vii.,  38. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  an  imperishable  stream.  It  is  not  like  those 
rivers  of  which  you  have  heard  which  flow  through  barren 
sands  till  they  sink  into  the  earth  and  disappear.  Not  so  the 
stream  of  grace.     When  it  flows  from  Jesus  Christ,  it  flows  into 


SERMON   LXIX.  405 

many  a  barren  heart ;  but  it  is  never  lost  there.  It  appears  again, 
it  flows  forth  from  that  heart  in  rivers  of  living  water.  When  a 
soul  is  brought  to  believe  on  Jesus,  and  to  drink  in  the  Spirit,  it 
often  appears  as  if  the  Spirit  were  lost  in  that  soul.  The  stream 
flows  into  such  a  barren  heai't,  that  it  is  long  before  it  makes  its 
appearance;  but  it  is  never  lost.  The  Scripture  must  be  fulfilled: 
"  He  that  believeth  on  me,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  water." 

1.  A  new  motive  for  coming  to  Jesus. — If  you  will  come  to 
Jesus  and  drink,  you  shall  become  a  fountain,  you  shall  be  changed 
into  the  image  of  Christ.  Are  there  none  of  you  living  in  a  god- 
less family  ?  O  come  to  Jesus  and  drink  !  You  will  become  a 
fountain  of  grace  to  your  family.  Through  your  heart,  through 
your  words,  through  your  prayers,  the  stream  of  grace  will  flow 
into  other  hearts.  Those  you  love  best  in  all  the  world  may  in 
this  way  receive  grace.  O  come  unto  Jesus  and  drink  !  Many 
of  you  live  in  a  godless  neighborhood,  come  to  Jesus  and  drink, 
and  you  will  become  a  fountain  of  grace  to  your  neighborhood. 
From  you  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.  O  if  all  of  you  that 
know  the  Lord  Jesus  would  only  drink  out  of  his  fulness,  even 
this  neglected  place  might  become  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord, 
well  watered  everywhere  ! 

2.  New  test  if  you  have  come  to  Jesus. — If  you  have  believed  on 
Jesus,  then  you  have  received  the  Spirit,  and  from  you  there  must 
be  flowing  rivers  of  living  water.  Is  this  the  case  ?  Alas  !  how 
many  of  you  must  answer.  No ;  we  know  not  what  you  mean. 

(1.)  Are  there  not  some  hearing  me  whose  heart  is  more  like 
a  sink  of  iniquity  than  a  fountain  of  living  water?  Are  there  not 
some  who  send  forth  from  their  heart  rivers  that  pollute  and  poi- 
son every  place  where  they  go  ?  Are  there  not  some  who  send 
forth  streams  of  horrid  imaginations  and  impure  desires?  Are 
there  not  some  who  send  forth  polluting  conversation,  foolish,  lasci- 
vious talking  and  jesting,  which  are  not  convenient  ?  Ah !  how 
plain  you  have  never  been  brought  to  Jesus  !  The  river  of  grace 
has  never  been  turned  into  that  foul  bosom. 

(2.)  Are  there  not  some  who  are  like  a  fountain  sealed  ?  They 
seem  to  come  to  Jesus,  but  they  do  not  give  out  any  living  stream. 
I  stand  in  doubt  of  you. 

Everyone  that  believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus  must  receive  the. 
Spirit.  Every  one  that  receives  the  Spirit  will  make  it  manifest 
by  sending  forth  rivers  of  living  water.  Be  not  deceived,  my 
dear  friends.  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous.  If  you 
are  living  a  dead,  useless  life,  you  are  no  Christian.  "  Examine 
yourselves  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith.  Prove  your  ownselves. 
Know  ye  not  your  ownselves  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you, 
except  ye  be  reprobate  ?" 

St.  Peter's,  October  22,  1837. 


406  SERMON    LXX. 

SERMON  LXX. 

CONVICTION    OF    SIN. 

"  And  when  he  [the  Comforter]  is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and  of 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment." — John  xvi.,  8. 

When  friends  are  about  to  part  from  one  another,  they  are  far 
kinder  than  ever  they  have  been  before.  It  was  so  with  Jesus. 
He  was  going  to  part  from  his  disciples,  and  never  till  now  did 
his  heart  flow  out  towards  them  in  so  many  streams  of  heavenly 
tenderness.  Sorrow  had  filled  their  heart,  and  therefore  divinest 
compassion  filled  his  heart.  "  I  tell  you  the  truth,  it  is  expedient 
for  you  that  I  go  away." 

Surely  it  was  expedient  for  himself  that  he  should  go  away. 
He  had  lived  a  life  of  weariness  and  painfulness,  not  having  where 
to  lay  his  head,  and  surely  it  was  pleasant  in  his  eyes  that  he  was 
about  to  enter  into  his  rest.  He  had  lived  in  obscurity  and  po- 
verty, he  gave  his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his  cheeks  to  them  that 
plucked  off  the  hair  ;  and  now,  surely,  he  might  well  look  forward 
with  joy  to  his  return  to  that  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father 
before  ever  the  world  was,  when  all  the  angels  of  God  worship- 
ped him  ;  and  yet  he  does  not  say.  It  is  expedient  for  me  that  I 
go  away.  Surely  that  would  have  been  comfort  enough  to  his 
disciples.  But  no  ;  he  says,  "  It  is  expedient  for  you."  He  for- 
gets himself  altogether,  and  thinks  only  of  his  little  flock  which 
he  was  leaving  behind  him :  '•  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
away."  O  most  generous  of  Saviours  !  He  looked  not  on  his 
own  things,  but  on  the  things  of  others  also.  He  knew  that  it  is 
far  more  blessed  to  give  than  it  is  to  receive. 

The  gift  of  the  Spirit  is  the  great  argument  by  which  he  here 
persuades  them  that  his  going  away  would  be  expedient  for  thera. 
Now,  it  is  curious  to  remark  that  he  had  promised  them  the 
Spirit  before  in  the  beginning  of  his  discourse.  In  chap,  xiv.,  16- 
18,  he  says:  "I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever  ;  even  the 
Spirit  of  truth  ;  whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth 
him  not,  neither  knoweth  him ;  but  ye  know  him  ;  for  he  dwelleth 
with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless : 
I  will  come  to  you  again."  And  again :  "  But  the  Comforter, 
which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name, 
he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your  remem- 
brance, whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."  Verse  26.  In  that 
passage  he  promises  the  Spirit  for  their  own  peculiar  comfort  and 
joy.  He  promises  him  as  a  treasure  which  they,  and  they  only, 
could  receive  :  "  For  the  world  cannot  receive  him,  because  it 


SERMON    LXX.  407 

neither  sees  nor  knows  him  ;"  and  yet,  saith  he,  '  he  dwelleth  with 
you,  and  shall  be  in  you."     But  in  the  passage  before  us  the  pro- 
mise is  quite  different.     He  promises  the  Spirit  here,  not  for  them- 
selves, but  for  the  world ;  not  as  a  peculiar  treasure,  to  be  locked 
up  in  their  own  bosoms,  which  they  might  brood  over  with  a 
selfish  joy,  but  as  a  blessed  power  to  work,  through  their  preaching, 
on  the  wicked  world  around  them ;  not  as  a  well  springing  up 
within  their  own  bosoms  unto  everlasting  life,  but  as  rivers  of 
living  water  flowing  through  them  to  water  this  dry  and  perishing 
world ;  for  he  does  not  say,  When  he  is  come  he  will  fill  your 
hearts  with  peace  and  joy  to  overflowing  ;  but,  "  When  he  is  come, 
he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of 
judgment."     But  a  little  before  he  had  told  them  that  the  world 
would  hate  and  persecute  them  ;  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  love  his  own  ;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth 
you."     John  xv.,  19.     This  was  but  poor  comfort,  when  that  very 
world  was  to  be  the  field  of  their  labors ;  but  now  he  shows  them 
what   a  blessed  gift  the  Spirit  would    be  ;    for  he  would  work, 
through  their   preaching,  upon    the  very   hearts  that  hated  and 
persecuted  them.     "  He  shall  convince  the  world  of  sin."     This 
has  always  been  the  case.     In  Acts  ii.  we  are  told  that  when  the 
Spirit  came   on  the   apostles  the    crowd  mocked  them,  saying : 
"  These  men  are  full  of  new  wine  ;"  and  yet,  when  Peter  preached, 
the  Spirit  wrought  through  his  preaching  on  the  hearts  of  these  very 
scoffers.     They  were  pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  cried  :  "  Men 
and  brethren,  what  must  we  do?"  and  the  same  day  three  thou- 
sand souls   were   converted.     Again,  the  jailer  at  Philippi   was 
evidently  a  hard,  cruel  man  towards  the  apostles ;  for  he  thrust 
them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  fast  in  the  stocks ; 
and  yet  the  Spirit  opens  his  hard  heart,  and  he  is  brought  to  Christ 
by  the  very  apostles  whom  he  hated.     Just  so  is  it,  brethren,  to 
this  day.     The  world  do  not  love  the  true  ministers  of  Christ  a 
whit  better  than  they  did.     The  world  is  the  same  world  it  was 
in  Christ's  day.     That  word  has  never  yet  been  scored  out  of  the 
Bible :  "  Whosoever  will  live  godly  in  the  world,  must  suffer  per- 
secution."    We  expect,  as  Paul  did,  to  be  hated  by  the  most  who 
listen   to  us.     We    are  quite  sure,  as  Paul  was,  that  the  more 
abundantly  we  love  you,  most  of  you  will  love  us  the  less  ;  and 
yet,  brethren,  none  of  these  things  move  us.     Though  cast  down, 
we  are  not  in  despair ;  for  we  know  that  the  Spirit  is  sent  to  con- 
vince the  world ;  and  we  do  not  fear  but  some  of  you  who  are 
counting  us  an  enemy,  because  we  tell  you  the  truth,  may  even 
this  day,  in  the  midst  of  all  your  hatred  and  cold  indifference,  be 
convinced  of  sin  by  the  Spirit,  and  made  to  cry  out:  "  Sirs,  what 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

I.  The  first  work  of  the  Spirit  is  to  convince  of  sin. 


408  SERMON    LXX. 

1.  Who  it  is  that  convinces  of  sin:  "He  shall  convince  the 
world  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  in  me."  It  is  curious  to 
remark,  that  wherever  the  Holy  Ghost  is  spoken  of  in  the  Bible, 
he  is  spoken  of  in  terms  of  gentleness  and  love.  We  often  read 
of  the  wrath  of  God  the  Father,  as  in  Rom.  i. ;  "  The  wrath  of 
God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unright- 
eousness of  men."  And  we  often  read  of  the  wrath  of  God  the 
Son :  "  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the 
way ;"  or,  "  Revealed  from  heaven  taking  vengeance ;"  but  we 
nowhere  read  of  the  wrath  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  (1.)  He  is 
compared  to  a  dove,  the  gentlest  of  all  creatures.  (2.)  He  is 
warm  and  gentle  as  the  breath  :  "  Jesus  breathed  on  them,  and 
said.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost."  (3.)  He  is  gentle  as  the  falling 
dew  :  "  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel."  (4.)  He  is  soft  and 
gentle  as  oil ;  for  he  is  called  "  The  oil  of  gladness."  The  fine  oil 
wherewith  the  high  priest  was  anointed  was  a  type  of  the  Spirit. 
(5.)  He  is  gentle  and  refreshing  as  the  springing  well :  "  The 
water  that  1  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  spring- 
ing up  unto  everlasting  life.  (6.)  He  is  called  "  The  Spirit  of 
grace  and  of  supplications."  He  is  nowhere  called  the  Spirit  of 
wrath.  (7.)  He  is  called  the  "  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the  Com- 
forter." Nowhere  is  he  called  the  Avenger.  (8.)  We  are  told 
that  he  groans  within  the  heart  of  a  believer,  "  helping  his  infirm- 
ities ;"  so  that  he  greatly  helps  the  believer  in  prayer.  We  are  told 
also  of  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  nowhere  of  the  wrath  of  the  Spirit. 
We  are  told  of  his  being  grieved  :  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit ;" 
of  his  being  resisted :  "  Ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  of 
his  being  quenched  :  "Quench  not  the  Spirit."  But  these  are  all 
marks  of  gentleness  and  love.  Nowhere  will  you  find  one  mark 
of  anger  or  of  vengeance  attributed  to  him  ;  and  yet,  brethren, 
when  this  blessed  Spirit  begins  his  work  of  love,  mark  how  he 
begins ;  he  convinces  of  sin.  Even  he,  all- wise,  almighty,  all- 
gentle  and  loving  though  he  be,  cannot  persuade  a  poor  sinful 
heart  to  embrace  the  Saviour,  without  first  opening  up  his  wounds, 
and  convincing  him  that  he  is  lost. 

Now,  brethren,  I  ask  of  you.  Should  not  the  faithful  minister  of 
Christ  just  do  the  very  same  ?  Ah  !  brethren,  if  the  Spirit,  whose 
very  breath  is  gentleness  and  love  ;  whom  Jesus  hath  sent  into  the 
world  to  bring  men  to  eternal  life  ;  if  he  begins  his  work  in  every 
soul  that  is  to  be  saved,  by  convincing  of  sin,  why  should  you 
blame  the  minister  of  Christ  if  he  begins  in  the  very  same  way  ? 
Why  should  you  say  that  we  are  harsh,  and  cruel,  and  severe, 
when  we  begin  to  deal  with  your  souls  by  convincing  you  of  sin  ? 
"  Am  I  become  your  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the  truth  ?"  When 
the  surgeon  comes  to  cure  a  corrupted  wound ;  when  he  tears  off 
the  vile  bandages  which  unskilful  hands  had  wrapped  around  it ; 
when  he  lays  open  the  deepest  recesses  of  your  wound,  and  shows 
you  all  its  venom  and  its  virulence,  do  you  call  him  cruel?     May 


SERMON    LXX.  409 

not  his  hands  be  all  the  time  the  hands  of  gentleness  and  love  ? 
Or,  when  a  house  is  all  on  fire  ;  when  the  flames  arc  bursting  out 
from  every  window  ;  when  some  courageous  man  ventures  to 
alarm  the  sleeping  inmates,  bursts  through  the  barred  door,  tears 
aside  the  close-drawn  curtains,  and  with  eager  hand  shakes  the 
sleeper,  bids  him  awake  and  flee,  a  moment  longer  and  you  may 
be  lost,  do  you  call  him  cruel  ?  or  do  you  say  this  messenger  of 
mercy  spoke  too  loud — too  plain  ?  Ah,  no.  "  Skin  for  skin  ;  all 
that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his  life."  Why,  then,  brethren, 
will  you  blame  the  minister  of  Christ  when  he  begins  by  con- 
vincing you  of  sin  ?  Think  you  that  the  wound  of  sin  is  less  veno- 
mous or  deadly  than  a  wound  in  the  flesh  ?  Think  you  the  flames 
of  hell  are  less  hard  to  bear  than  the  flames  of  earth  ?  The  very 
Spirit  of  love  begins  by  convincing  you  of  sin ;  and  are  we 
less  the  messengers  of  love  because  we  too  begin  by  convincing 
you  of  sin  ?  Oh,  then,  do  not  say  that  we  have  become  your  ene- 
my because  we  tell  you  the  truth. 

II.  What  is  this  conviction  of  sin  ?  I  would  begin  to  show  this 
by  showing  you  what  it  is  not. 

1.  It  is  not  the  mere  smiting  of  the  natural  conscience.  Although 
man  be  utterly  fallen,  yet  God  has  left  natural  conscience  behind 
in  every  heart,  to  speak  for  him.  Some  men,  by  continual  sinning, 
sear  even  the  conscience  as  with  a  hot  iron,  so  that  it  becomes 
dead  and  past  feeling ;  but  most  men  have  so  much  natural  con- 
science remaining  that  they  cannot  commit  open  sin  without  their 
conscience  smiting  them.  When  a  man  commits  murder  or  theft, 
no  eye  may  have  seen  him,  and  yet  conscience  makes  a  coward 
of  him.  He  trembles,  and  is  afraid  ;  he  feels  that  he  has  sinned, 
and  he  fears  that  God  will  take  vengeance.  Now,  brethren,  that 
is  not  the  conviction  of  sin  here  spoken  of;  that  is  a  natural  work 
which  takes  place  in  every  heart ;  but  conviction  of  sin  is  a  super- 
natural work  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  If  you  have  had  nothing  more 
than  the  ordinary  smiting  of  conscience,  then  you  have  not  been 
convinced  of  sin. 

2.  It  is  not  any  impression  upon  the  imagination.  Sometimes, 
when  men  have  committed  great  sin,  they  have  awful  impressions 
of  God's  vengeance  made  upon  their  imaginations.  In  the  night- 
time they  almost  fancy  they  see  the  flames  of  hell  burning  beneath 
them ;  or  they  seem  to  hear  doleful  cries  in  their  ears  telling  of 
coming  woe ;  or  they  fancy  they  see  the  face  of  Jesus  all  clouded 
with  anger;  or  they  have  terrible  dreams,  when  they  sleep,  of 
coming  vengeance.  Now,  this  is  not  the  conviction  o\  sin  which 
the  Spirit  gives.  This  is  altogether  a  natural  work  upon  the  natu- 
ral faculties,  and  not  at  all  a  supernatural  work  of  the  Spirit.  If 
you  have  had  nothing  more  than  these  imaginary  terrors,  you  have 
had  no  work  of  the  Spirit. 

3.  It  is  not  a  mere  head  knowledge  of  what  the  Bible  says  against 


410  SERMON    LXX. 

sin.  Many  unconverted  men  read  their  Bibles,  and  have  a  clear 
knowledge  that  their  case  is  laid  down  there.  They  are  sensible 
men.  They  know  very  well  that  they  are  in  sin,  and  they  know 
just  as  well  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death.  (1.)  One  man  lives  a 
swearer,  and  he  reads  the  words,  and  understands  them  perfectly : 
"  Swear  not  at  all."  '•  The  Lord  will  hold  him  guiltless  that 
taketh  his  name  in  vain."  (2.)  Another  man  lives  in  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  and  he  reads  the  Bible,  and  understands  these  words 
perfectly  :  "  No  unclean  person  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  and  of  God."  (3.)  Another  man  lives  in  habitual 
forgetfulness  of  God  ;  never  thinks  of  God  from  sunrise  to  sunset, 
and  yet  he  reads :  "  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all 
the  people  that  forget  God."  Now,  in  this  way,  most  unconverted 
men  have  a  head  knowledge  of  their  sin,  and  of  the  wages  of  sin ; 
yet,  brethren,  this  is  far  from  conviction  of  sin.  This  is  a  mere 
natural  work  in  their  head.  Conviction  of  sin  is  a  work  of  God 
upon  the  heart.  If  you  have  had  nothing  more  than  this  head 
knowledge  that  you  are  sinners,  then  you  have  never  been  con- 
vinced of  sin. 

4.  Conviction  of  sin  is  not  to  feel  the  loathsomeness  of  sin.  This 
is  what  a  child  ot  God  feels.  A  child  of  God  has  seen  the  beauty 
and  excellency  of  God,  and,  therefore,  sin  is  loathsome  in  his 
eyes.  But  no  unconverted  person  has  seen  the  beauty  and  excel- 
lency of  God ;  therefore,  even  the  Spirit  cannot  make  him  feel 
the  loathsomeness  of  sin.  Just  as  when  you  leave  a  room  that  is 
brilliantly  lighted,  and  go  out  into  the  darkness  of  the  open  air, 
the  night  looks  very  dark  ;  so  when  a  child  of  God  has  been  with- 
in the  veil,  in  the  presence  of  his  reconciled  God,  in  full  view  of 
the  Father  of  lights,  dwelling  in  light  inaccessible  and  full  of 
glory — then,  when  he  turns  his  eye  inwards  upon  his  own  sinful 
bosom,  sin  appears  very  dark,  very  vile,  and  very  loathsome. 
But  an  unconverted  soul  never  has  been  in  the  presence  of  the 
reconciled  God ;  and  therefore  sin  cannot  appear  dark  and  loath- 
some in  his  eyes.  Just  as  when  you  have  tasted  something  very 
sweet  and  pleasant,  when  you  come  to  taste  other  things,  they  ap- 
pear very  insipid  and  disagreeable  ;  s  '- 1--  n  a  child  of  God  has 
tasted  and  seen  that  God  is  gracious,  ti.e  laste  of  sin  in  his  own 
hdart  becomes  very  nauseous  and  loathsome  to  him.  But  an  un- 
converted soul  never  tasted  the  sweetness  of  God's  love  ;  he  can- 
not, therefore,  fee!  the  vileness  and  loathsomeness  of  sin.  This, 
then,  is  not  the  conviction  of  sin  here  spoken  of 

What,  then,  is  this  conviction  of  sin  ?  Ans.  It  is  a  just  sense  of 
the  dreadfulness  of  sin.  It  is  not  a  mere  knowledge  that  we  have 
many  sins,  and  that  God's  anger  is  revealed  against  them  all ;  but 
it  is  a  heart-feeling  that  we  are  under  sin.  Again  :  it  is  not  a  feel- 
ing of  the  loathsomeness  of  sin — that  is  felt  only  by  the  children 
of  God :  but  it  is  a  feeling  of  the  dreadfulness  of  sin,  of  the  dis- 
honor it  does  U)  God,  and  of  the  wrath  to  which  it  exposes  the 


SERMON    LXX.  411 

soul.  Oh,  brethren  1  conviction  of  sin  is  no  slight  natural  work 
upon  the  heart.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  knowing  a 
thing  and  having  a  just  sense  of  it.  There  is  a  great  difference 
between  know^ing  that  vinegar  is  sour,  and  actually  tasting  and 
feeling  that  it  is  sour.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  know- 
ing that  fire  will  burn  us,  and  actually  feeling  the  pain  of  being 
burned.  Just  in  the  same  way,  there  is  all  the  difference  in  the 
world  between  knowing  the  dreadfulness  of  your  sins  and  feeling 
the  dreadfulness  of  your  sins.  It  is  all  in  vain  that  you  read  your 
Bibles  and  hear  us  preach,  unless  the  Spirit  use  the  words  to  give 
sense  and  feeling  to  your  dead  hearts.  The  plainest  words  will 
not  awaken  you  as  long  as  you  are  in  a  natural  condition.  If  we 
could  prove  to  you,  with  the  plainness  of  arithmetic,  that  the 
wrath  of  Gori  is  abiding  on  you  and  your  children,  still  you  would 
sit  unmoved — you  would  go  away  and  forget  it  before  you  reach- 
ed your  own  door.  Ah,  brethren,  he  that  made^  your  heart,  can 
alone  impress  your  heart.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  convinceth  you 
of  sin. 

1.  Learn  the  true  power  of  the  read  and  preached  Word.  It  is 
but  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God.  It  has  no  power  of  itself, 
except  to  produce  natural  impressions.  It  is  a  hammer,  but  God 
must  break  your  hearts  with  it.  It  is  a  fire,  but  God  must  kindle 
up  your  bosoms  with  it.  Without  knowing  him  we  may  give  you 
a  knowledge  of  the  dreadfulness  of  your  condition,  but  he  only 
can  give  you  a  just  sense  and  feeling  of  the  dreadfulness  of  your 
condition.  The  inost  powerful  sermon  in  the  world  can  make 
nothing  more  than  a  natural  impression ;  but  when  God  works 
through  it,  the  feeblest  word  makes  a  supernatural  impression. 
Many  a  poor  sermon  has  been  the  means  by  which  God  hath  con- 
verted a  soul.  Children  of  God,  O  that  you  would  pray  night  and 
day  for  the  lifting  up  of  the  arm  of  God ! 

2.  Learn  that  conversion  is  not  in  your  own  power.  It  is  the 
Spirit  alone  who  convinces  of  sin,  and  he  is  a  free  agent.  He  is 
a  sovereign  Spirit,  and  has  nowhere  promised  to  work  at  the  bid- 
ding of  unconverted  m.en.  He  hath  many  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy  ;  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.  Perhaps  you  think  you 
may  take  your  fill  of  sin  just  now,  and  then  come  and  repent,  and 
be  saved  ;  but  remember  the  Spirit  is  not  at  your  bidding.  He  is 
not  your  servant.  Many  hope  to  be  converted  on  their  death-bed ; 
and  they  come  to  their  death-bed,  and  yet  are  not  converted.  If 
the  Spirit  be  working  with  you  now,  do  not  grieve  him,  do  not 
resist  him,  do  not  quench  him ;  for  he  may  never  come  back  to 
you  again. 

III.  /  come  to  the  argument  which  the  Spirit  uses.  There  are 
two  arguments  by  which  the  Spirit  usually  gives  men  a  sense  of 
the  dreadfulness  of  sin. 

1.  The  Law:  "The  law  is  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to 


412  SERMON    LXX. 

Christ."  "  Now  we  know  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith, 
it  saith  to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  that  every  mouth  may  be 
stopped,  and  all  the  world  become  guilty  before  God."  The  sin- 
ner reads  the  law  of  the  great  God  who  made  heaven  and  earth. 
The  Spirit  of  God  arouses  his  conscience  to  see  that  the  law  con- 
demns every  part  of  his  life.  The  law  bids  him  love  God.  His 
heart  tells  him  he  never  loved  God,  never  had  a  thought  of  regard 
towards  God.  The  Spirit  convinces  him  that  God  is  a  jealous  God, 
that  his  honor  is  concerned  to  uphold  the  law,  and  destroy  the  sin- 
ner. The  Spirit  convinces  him  that  God  is  a  just  God,  that  he 
can  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.  The  Spirit  convinces  him  that 
he  is  a  true  God,  that  he  must  fulfil  all  his  threatenings :  "  Have  I 
said  it,  and  shall  I  not  do  it?"  The  sinner's  mouth  is  stopped, and 
he  stands  guilty  before  God. 

2.  The  second  ai'gument  is  the  Gospel :  "Because  they  believe 
not  on  Jesus."  This  is  the  strongest  of  all  arguments,  and  there- 
fore is  chosen  by  Christ  here.  The  sinner  reads  in  the  Word 
that  "  he  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  ;"  and  now 
the  Spirit  convinces  him  that  he  never  believed  on  the  Son  of  God, 
indeed  he  does  not  know  what  it  means.  For  the  first  time  the 
conviction  comes  upon  his  heart :  "  He  that  believeth  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  The 
more  glorious  and  divine  that  Saviour  is,  the  more  is  the  Christ- 
less  soul  convinced  that  he  is  lost ;  for  he  feels  that  he  is  out  of 
that  Saviour.  He  sees  plainly  that  Christ  is  an  almighty  ark  riding 
over  the  deluge  of  God's  wrath ;  he  sees  how  safe  and  happy  the 
little  company  are  that  are  gathered  within  ;  but  this  just  makes 
him  gnash  his  teeth  in  agony,  for  he  is  not  within  the  ark,  and  the 
waves  and  billow^s  are  coming  over  him.  He  hears  that  Christ 
hath  been  stretching  out  the  hands  all  the  day  to  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners, not  willing  that  any  should  perish ;  but  then  he  never  cast 
himself  into  these  arms,  and  now  he  feels  that  Christ  may  be 
laughing  at  his  calamity,  and  mocking  when  his  fear  cometh.  O 
yes,  my  friends  !  how  often  on  the  death-bed,  when  the  natural 
fears  of  conscience  are  aided  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  how  often, 
when  we  speak  of  Christ,  his  love,  his  atoning  blood,  the  refuge 
to  be  found  in  him,  how  safe  and  happy  all  are  that  are  in  him, 
how  often  does  the  dying  sinner  turn  it  all  away  with  the  awful 
question  :  But  ayn  I  in  Christ  ?  The  more  we  tell  of  the  Saviour, 
the  more  is  their  agony  increased  ;  for  they  feel  that  that  is  the 
Saviour  they  have  refused.  Ah  !  what  a  meaning  docs  that  give 
to  these  words :  "  The  Spirit  convinceth  of  sin,  because  they  be- 
lieve not  on  me." 

1.  Now,  my  friends,  there  are  many  of  you  who  know  that  you 
never  believed  on  Jesus,  and  yet  you  are  quite  unmoved.  You 
sit  without  emotion,  you  eat  your  meals  with  appetite,  and  doubt- 
less sleep  sound  at  night.  Do  you  wish  to  know  the  reason  1  You 
have  never  been  convinced  of  sin.     The  Spirit  hath  never  begun 


SERMON    LXX.  413 

his  work  in  your  heart.  Oh  !  if  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  would  come 
on  your  hearts  like  a  mighty  rushing  wind,  what  a  dreadful  thought 
it  would  be  to  you  this  night  that  you  are  lying  out  of  Christ ! 
You  would  lose  your  appetite  for  this  world's  food,  you  would  not 
be  able  to  rest  in  your  bed,  you  would  not  dare  to  live  on  in  your 
sins.  All  your  past  sins  would  rise  behind  you  like  apparitions  of 
evil.  Wherever  you  went  you  would  meet  the  word  ;  "  Without 
Christ,  without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world  ;"  and  if  your 
worldly  friends  should  try  to  hush  your  fears,  and  tell  you  of  your 
decencies,  and  that  you  were  not  so  bad  as  your  neighbors,  and 
many  might  fear  if  you  feared,  ah !  how  you  would  thrust  them 
away,  and  stop  your  ears,  and  cry :  There  is  a  city  of  refuge,  to 
which  I  have  never  fled ;  therefore  there  must  be  a  blood-avenger. 
There  is  an  ark ;  therefore  there  must  be  a  coming  deluge.  There 
is  a  Christ ;  therefore  there  must  be  a  hell  for  the  Christless. 

2.  Some  of  you  may  be  under  conviction  of  sin  ;  you  feel  the 
dreadfulness  of  being  out  of  Christ,  and  you  are  very  miserable. 
Now,  (1.)  Be  thankful  for  this  work  of  the  Spirit :  "  Flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father."  God  hath 
brought  you  into  the  wilderness  just  that  he  might  allure  you,  and 
speak  to  your  heart  about  Christ.  This  is  the  way  he  begins  the 
work  in  every  soul  he  saves.  Nobody  ever  came  to  Christ  but 
they  were  first  convinced  of  sin.  All  that  are  now  in  heaven 
began  this  way.  Be  thankful  you  are  not  dead  like  those  around 
you.  (2.)  Do  not  lose  these  convictions.  Remember  they  are 
easily  lost.  Involve  yourself  over  head  and  ears  in  business,  and 
work  even  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  you  will  soon  drive  all  away. 
Indulge  a  little  in  sensual  pleasure,  take  a  little  diversion  with 
companions,  and  you  will  soon  be  as  happy  and  careless  as  they. 
If  you  love  your  soul,  flee  these  things — do  not  stay — flee  away 
from  them.  Read  the  books  that  keep  up  your  anxiety — wait  on 
the  ministers  that  keep  up  that  anxiety.  Above  all,  cry  to  the 
Spirit,  who  alone  was  the  author  of  it,  that  he  would  keep  it  up. 
Cry  night  and  day  that  he  may  never  let  you  rest  out  of  Christ. 
Oh  !  would  you  sleep  over  hell  ?  (3.)  Do  not  rest  in  these  con- 
victions. You  are  not  saved  yet.  Many  have  come  thus  far,  and 
perished  after  all ;  many  have  been  convinced,  not  converted  ; 
many  lose  their  convictions,  and  wallow  in  sin  again.  "  Remem- 
ber Lot's  wife."  You  are  never  safe  till  you  are  within  the  fold. 
Christ  is  the  door.  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for 
many  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 
Dundee,  Feb.  4,  1837 


414  SERMON    LXXI. 


SERMON  LXXI. 

CONVICTION    OF    RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"  And  When  he  [the  Comforter]  is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and  of 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment." — John  xvi.,  8 

SECOND    DISCOURSE. 

In  my  last  discourse  from  this  passage  we  saw  that  the  first  work 
of  the  Spirit  on  the  heart  of  a  sinner  is  to  convince  of  sin  ;  to  give 
him  a  sense  of  the  dreadfulness  of  his  sins,  and  to  make  him  feel 
how  surely  he  is  a  lost  sinner.  And  from  that  I  drew  an  argu- 
ment, that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  faithful  ministers  to  do  the  same  ; 
that  if  the  Spirit  of  gentleness  and  love  begins  his  work  on  the 
soul  by  awakening  in  it  a  deep  sense  of  sin  and  coming  wrath,  we 
are  not  to  be  called  cruel,  or  harsh,  or  too  plain  and  outspoken,  if 
we  begin  in  the  very  same  way — by  convincing  you  of  sin,  and 
showing  every  unconverted  soul  among  you  how  utterly  undone 
you  are. 

But  I  now  come  to  the  second  work  of  the  Spirit,  from  which 
he  is  properly  called  the  Comforter  :  "  He  will  convince  the  world 
of  righteousness,"  When  he  has  first  broken  the  hones  under  a 
sense  of  sin,  then  he  reveals  the  good  Physician,  and  makes  the 
very  bones  which  he  hath  broken  to  rejoice.  When  he  had 
first  revealed  the  coming  storm  of  wrath,  so  that  the  sinner  knew 
not  where  to  flee,  then  he  opens  the  secret  chamber,  and  whis- 
pers. Come  in  hither  ;  it  may  be  thou  shalt  be  hid  in  the  day  of 
the  Lord's  anger.  When  he  has  cast  light  into  the  sinner's  bosom, 
and  let  him  see  how  every  action  of  his  life  condemns  him,  and 
how  vain  it  is  to  seek  for  any  righteousness  there,  he  then  casts 
light  upon  the  risen  Saviour,  and  says  :  Look  there.  He  shows 
the  Saviour's  finished  sufferings  and  finished  obedience,  and  says: 
All  this  is  thine,  if  thou  wilt  believe  in  Jesus.  Thus  does  the 
Spirit  lead  the  soul  to  accept  and  close  with  Christ,  freely  offered 
in  the  Gospel.  The  first  was  the  awakening  work  of  the  Spirit 
— this  is  the  comforting  work  of  the  Spirit.  And  this  shows  you 
plainly  that  the  second  work  of  the  faithful  minister  is  to  do  the 
very  same — to  lead  weary  souls  to  Christ — to  stand  pointing  not 
only  to  the  coming  deluge,  but  to  the  freely  offered  ark — pointing 
not  only  to  the  threatening  storm,  but  to  the  strong  tower  of  safety 
— directing  the  sinner's  eye  not  only  inwards  to  his  sin  and  misery, 
but  outwards  also,  to  the  bleeding,  dying,  rising,  reigning  Saviour. 

Brethren,  he  is  no  minister  of  Christ  who  only  terrifies  and 
awakens  you,  who  only  aims  at  the  first  work  of  the  Spirit,  to 
convince  you  of  sin,  and  aims  not  at  the  second  work  of  the 
Spirit,  to  convince  you  of  righteousness.     He  would  be  like  a 


SERMON    LXXI.  415 

surgeon  who  should  tear  off  the  bandages  of  your  wounds,  and  lay 
open  their  deepest  recesses,  and  then  leave  you  like  Israel  with 
your  sores  not  closed,  neither  bound  up,  neither  mollified  with 
ointment.  He  would  be  like  a  man  who  should  awake  you  when 
your  house  was  all  on  fire,  and  yet  leave  you  without  showing 
you  any  way  of  escape. 

Brethren,  let  us  rather  be  taught  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of 
the  blessed  Spirit,  the  Comforter.  He  first  convinces  of  sin,  and 
then  convinces  of  righteousness.  And  so,  brethren,  bear  with  us, 
when  we  first  awaken  you  to  a  sense  of  the  dreadfulness  of  your 
sins,  and  then  open  the  refuge  and  say.  Come  in  hither,  "  hide  thee 
as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  till  the  indignation  be  overpast." 

I  know  there  may  be  many  of  you  quite  offended  because  we 
preach  Christ  to  the  vilest  of  sinners.  It  was  so  with  the  Pha- 
risees ;  and  doubtless  there  are  many  Pharisees  among  us.  When 
we  enter  into  the  haunts  of  wickedness  and  profligacy,  and,  in 
accents  of  tenderness  proclaim  the  simple  message  of  redeem- 
ing love,  that  the  wrath  of  God  is  abiding  on  sinners,  but  that 
Christ  is  a  Saviour  freely  offered  to  them,  just  as  they  are  ;  or 
when  a  child  of  sin  and  misery  comes  before  us,  and  the  minister 
of  Christ  first  plainly  tells  of  God's  wrath  against  his  sin,  and 
then  as  plainly,  and  with  all  affection,  of  Christ's  compassion,  and 
freely  offered,  righteousness  ;  oh  !  how  often  the  decent,  moral 
men  of  the  world  are  affronted.  The  very  imagination  that  the 
same  Saviour  is  offered  as  freely  to  the  veriest  offscourings  of 
vice  as  to  themselves,  this  is  more  than  they  can  bear.  What ! 
they  cry  ;  do  you  offer  these  wretches  a  Saviour  before  they  have 
reformed  their  lives,  before  they  have  changed  their  character  ? 
I  answer.  Yes.  The  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick ;  and  I  beseech  you  to  mark  that  this  is  the  very  way 
of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

He  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity. 
He  is  the  Sanctifier  of  all  that  are  in  Jesus ;  and  yet,  when 
he  has  convinced  a  sinner  of  sin,  his  next  work  is  to  speak 
peace,  to  convince  that  sinner  of  righteousness.  If  you  ask  me, 
then,  why  I  do  not  say  to  the  child  of  sin  and  shame,  Go  and 
reform  yourself — become  honest  and  pure,  and  then  I  will  invite 
you  to  the  Saviour  :  I  answer.  Because  even  the  Spirit,  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  Sanctifier,  does  not  do  this.  He  first  leads  the  soul 
into  the  wilderness,  and  then  he  allures  it  to  come  to  Christ.  He 
first  shuts  up  the  soul  in  prison  under  a  sense  of  guilt,  and  then 
opens  a  door,  reveals  Christ  an  open  refuge  for  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners. 

Brethren  !  do  not  forget  it,  he  is  the  Comforter  before  he  is  the 
Sanctifier.  Ah,  then !  do  not  blame  us,  if,  as  messengers  of 
Christ,  we  tread  in  the  very  footsteps  of  that  blessed  Spirit.  If 
even  he,  the  Holy  Sanctifying  Spirit,  whose  very  breath  is  all 
purity,  if  even  he  invite  the  vilest  sinner  to  put  on  these  beautiful 


416  SERMON    LXXI. 

garments,  the  divine  righteousness  of  Jesus,  do  not  say  that  we 
are  favoring  sin,  that  we  are  the  enemies  of  moraHty,  if  we  carry 
this  message  to  the  vilest  of  sinners  :  "  BeUeve  on  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

I.   JVhat  is  this  righteousness  ? 

I  answer,  It  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  wrought  out  in 
behalf  of  sinners.  Now  righteousness  means  righteousness  with 
respect  to  the  law.  When  a  person  has  not  only  never  broken 
the  law,  but  has  rendered  complete  obedience  to  it,  that  person  is 
righteous.  It  consists  of  two  parts,  then— ^first,  freedom  from 
guilt ;  and  second,  worthiness  in  the  sight  of  God. 

1.  In  the  case  of  an  unf alien  angel,  for  example,  he  may  be 
called  righteous  in  two  ways.  (1.)  He  is  negatively  righteous, 
because  he  has  never  broken  the  law  of  God,  he  has  never  loved 
anything  which  God  would  not  have  him  love ;  never  done  any- 
thing which  God  would  not  have  him  do  ;  he  has  acquired  no 
stain  of  guilt  upon  his  snow-white  garments.  But  (2),  He  is 
positively  righteous,  because  he  has  fulfilled  the  law  of  God.  He 
has  obeyed  in  all  things  his  all-holy  will.  He  has  spread  his 
ready  wings  on  every  errand  which  the  Father  commanded, 
ministering  night  and  day  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  In  all  things 
he  has  made  it  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  his  heavenly 
Father.  So,  then,  he  has  not  only  kept  his  snowy  garments  clean, 
but  he  has  gained  the  laurel  wreath  of  obedience,  he  is  worthy  in 
the  sight  of  God,  God  smiles  on  him  as  he  approaches.  Now, 
brethren,  both  of  these  put  together  make  up  a  righteousness  in 
the  sight  of  God. 

2.  In  the  case  of  unf  alien  Adam.  (1.)  He  was  negatively 
righteous.  He  was  made  free  from  all  guilt.  Innocent  and  pure 
he  came  from  the  hands  of  his  Maker.  Not  more  truly  did  the 
calm  rivers  of  Paradise  reflect  the  blue  heaven  from  their  un- 
troubled bosom,  than  did  the  tranquil  bosom  of  unfallen  Adam 
reflect  the  blessed  image  of  God.  His  soul  was  spotless  as  the 
white  robes  of  angels.  His  thoughts  were  all  directed  heaven- 
ward. He  had -not  once  broken  the  law  of  God,  in  thought,  word, 
or  deed.  His  will  was  even  with  God's  will.  He  had  no  con- 
science of  sin.  But  (2)  Adam  did  not  acquire  a  positive 
righteousness  ;  that  is,  the  righteousness  of  one  who  has  obeyed 
the  law — who  has  done  the  will  of  God.  He  was  put  into  Para- 
dise in  order  to  acquire  that  righteousness.  He  was  put  there  in 
pure  and  holy  garments,  to  acquire  the  laurel  wreath  of  obedience, 
like  the  holy  angels.  But  man  fell  without  acquiring  this  merito- 
rious righteousness  in  the  sight  of  God.  Now,  brethren,  both 
these  put  together,  both  freedom  from  guilt  and  perfect  obedience, 
make  up  a  perfect  righteousness  in  the  sight  of  God. 

3.  I  come,  then,  to  show  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  freely 
offered  to  sinners,  includes  both  of  these.     There  is  freedom  from 


SERMON    LXXI.  417 

guilt  in  Christ,  because  he  is  gone  to  the  Father.  When  he  came 
to  this  world,  he  was  not  free  from  guilt.  He  had  no  sin  of  his 
own.  Even  in  his  mother's  womb  he  was  called  "  that  holy  thing ;" 
but  yet  he  did  not  breathe  one  moment  in  this  world,  but  under 
the  load  of  guilt.  When  he  was  an  infant  in  a  manger,  he  was 
under  guilt;  when  he  was  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with 
grief,  he  was  under  guilt ;  when  he  sat  down  wearied  at  the  well,  he 
was  under  guilt ;  when  he  was  in  that  dreadful  agony  in  the  garden, 
when  his  sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood,  he  was  under 
guilt ;  when  he  was  in  his  last  agony  on  the  cross,  he  was  under  guilt. 
He  had  no  sin  of  his  own,  and  yet  these  are  his  words :  "  Innu- 
merable evils  have  compassed  me  about :  mine  iniquities  have 
taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able  to  look  up  ;  they  are 
more  than  the  hairs  of  mine  head  ;  therefore  my  heart  faileth 
me." 

Inquiry. — How  do  you  know  that  Christ  was  under  guilt  ? 

Answer. — (1.)  Because  he  was  under  pain.  He  suffered  the 
pains  of  infancy  in  the  manger ;  he  suffered  weariness,  and  hunger, 
and  thirst,  and  great  agonies  in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross.  But 
God  has  eternally  connected  guilt  and  pain.  If  there  were  no 
guilt  there  could  be  no  pain.  (2.)  Because  God  hid  his  face  from 
him :  "  My  God,  my  God."  Now,  God  hides  his  face  from  nothing 
but  guilt ;  therefore  Christ  was  bearing  the  sins  of  many.  He  was 
all  over  with  guilt.  He  was  as  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God  as  if 
he  had  committed  all  the  sins  of  his  people.  What  wonder,  then, 
that  God  hid  his  face  even  from  his  own  Son  ? 

But  Christ  is  now  free  from  guilt.  He  is  risen  and  gone  tO'the 
Father.  When  a  man  is  lying  under  a  debt,  if  he  pays  it,  then 
he  is  free  from  the  debt.  So  Christ  was  lying  under  our  sins,  but 
he  suffered  all  the  punishment,  and  now  is  free ;  he  rose,  and  we 
see  him  no  more.  When  a  man  is  banished  for  so  many  years, 
it  is  unlawful  for  him  to  return  to  his  country  till  the  time  has  ex- 
pired, and  the  punishment  is  borne  ;  but  when  the  time  is  expired, 
then  he  is  free  from  guilt  in  the  eye  of  the  law.  He  may  come 
back  to  his  home  and  his  country  once  more.  So  Christ  was 
banished  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father  for  a  time.  God  hid  his 
face  from  him ;  but  when  he  had  borne  all  that  God  saw  fit  to  lay 
on  him,  then  he  was  free  from  guilt,  he  was  free  to  return  ;  and 
so  he  did ;  he  rose,  and  went  back  to  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
from  which  he  came.  Do  you  not  see,  then,  trembling  sinner, 
that  there  is  freedom  from  all  guilt  in  Christ?  He  is  quite  free  : 
he  never  shall  suffer  any  more.  He  is  now  without  sin,  and  when 
he  comes  again,  he  is  coming  without  sin.  If  you  will  become 
one  with  him,  you,  too,  are  free  from  guilt ;  you  are  as  free  as 
Christ  is  ;  you  are  as  safe  from  being  punished  as  if  you  were  in 
heaven  with  Christ.  If  you  believe  on  Christ,  you  are  one  with 
him-  a  member  of  his  body ;  and  as  sure  as  Christ  your  Head  is 
now  passed  from  the  darkness  of  God's  anger  into  the  light  of  his 

27 


418  SERMON   LXXI. 

countenance,  so  surely  are  you,  O  believer,  passed  from  darkness 
into  God's  marvellous  light.  O  what  a  blessed  word  was  that  of 
Christ,  just  before  he  ascended  :  "  I  go  to  my  Father  and  your 
Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God  !"  God  is  now  as  much  ours  as 
he  is  Christ's. 

Inquiry.  What  good  is  it  to  me  that  Christ  is  free  from  guilt  ? 

Answer.  Christ  is  offered  to  you  as  your  Saviour.  There  is 
perfect  obedience  in  Christ,  because  he  hath  gone  to  the  Father, 
and  we  see  him  no  more.  When  he  came  to  this  world,  he  came 
not  only  to  suffer,  but  to  do — not  only  to  be  a  dying  Saviour,  but 
also  a  doing  Saviour — not  only  to  suffer  the  curse  which  the  first 
Adam  had  brought  upon  the  world,  but  to  render  the  obedience 
which  the  first  Adam  had  left  undone.  From  the  cradle  to  the 
cross  he  obeyed  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart.  When  he  came 
into  the  world,  his  word  was :  "  Lo  !  I  come ;  in  the  volume  of 
the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  God ;  yea, 
thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  When  he  was  in  the  midst  of  his 
obedience,  still  he  did  not  change  his  mind.  He  says  :  "  I  have 
meat  to  eat  that  ye  know  not  of:  my  meal  is  to  do  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his  work."  And  when  he  was  going 
out  of  the  world,  still  his  word  was :  "  I  have  finished  the  work 
which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  So  that  it  is  true  what  an  apostle 
says;  that  he  was  "  obedient  even  unto  death."  The  whole  law 
is  summed  up  in  these  two  commands — that  we  love  God  and  our 
neighbor.  Christ  did  both.  (1.)  He  loved  God  perfectly,  as  God 
says  in  the  91st  Psalm  :  "Because  he  hath  set  his  love  upon  me, 
therefore  will  I  deliver  him  ;  I  will  set  him  on  high."  (2.)  He  loved 
his  neighbor  as  himself  It  was  out  of  love  to  men  that  he  came 
into  the  world  at  all ;  and  everything  he  did  and  everything  he 
suffered  in  the  world,  was  out  of  love  to  his  neighbor.  It  was  out 
of  love  to  men  that  he  performed  the  greatest  part  of  his  obedi- 
ence, namely,  the  laying  down  his  life.  This  was  the  principal 
errand  upon  which  he  came  into  the  world.  This  was  the  most 
dreadful  and  difficult  command  which  God  laid  upon  him,  and  yet 
he  obeyed.  But  a  short  while  before  he  was  betrayed,  God  gave 
him  an  awful  view  of  his  coming  wrath,  in  the  garden  of  Gethse- 
mane.  He  set  down  the  cup  before  him,  and  showed  that  it  was 
a  cup  without  any  mixture  of  mercy  in  it;  and  yet  Christ  obeyed: 
his  human  nature  shrank  back  from  it,  and  he  prayed  :  "  If  it  be 
possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  ;"  but  he  did  not  waver  one 
moment  from  complete  obedience  for  he  adds  :  "  Nevertheless,  not 
as  1  will,  but  as  thou  wilt." 

Now  this  is  the  obedience  of  Christ,  and  we  know  that  it  is 
perfect.  (1.)  Because  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  all  that  he 
did  must  be  perfect.  (2.)  Because  he  is  gone  to  the  Father.  He 
is  ascended  into  the  presence  of  God.  And  how  did  the  Father 
receive  him  ?  We  are  told  in  the  110th  Psalm.  A  door  is  opened 
in  heaven,  and  we  are  suffered  to  hear  the  very  words  with  which 


SERMON    LXXI.  419 

God  receives  his  Son :  "The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou 
on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  my  footstool." 

So,  then,  God  did  not  send  him  back,  as  one  who  had  not  obey- 
ed perfectly  enough.  God  did  not  forbid  him  his  presence,  as  one 
unworthy  to  be  accepted ;  but  God  highly  exalted  him — looked 
upon  him  as  worthy  of  much  honor — worthy  of  a  seat  on  the 
throne  at  his  right  hand.  Oh !  how  plain  that  Christ  is  accepted 
with  the  Father  I  how  plain  that  his  righteousness  is  most  lovely 
and  all  divine  in  the  sight  of  God  the  Father. 

Hearken,  then,  trembling  sinner  !  this  righteousness  is  offered  to 
you.  It  was  wrought  just  for  sinners  like  you,  and  for  none  else ; 
it  is  for  no  other  use  but  just  to  cover  naked  sinners.  This  is  the 
clothing  of  wrought  gold  and  the  raiment  of  needlework.  This  is 
the  wedding -garment — the  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  Oh  !  put 
ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus.  Why  should  you  refuse  your  own  mer- 
cies? Become  one  with  Christ,  by  believing,  and  you  are  not 
only  pardoned,  as  I  showed  before,  but  you  are  righteous  in  the 
sight  of  God  ;  not  only  shall  you  never  be  cast  into  hell,  but  you 
shall  surely  be  carried  into  heaven — as  surely  as  Christ  is  now 
there.  Become  one  with  Christ,  and  even  this  moment  you  arc 
lovely  in  the  sight  of  God — comely,  through  his  comeliness  put 
upon  you.  You  are  as  much  accepted  in  the  sight  of  God  as 
is  the  Son  of  Man,  the  Beloved,  that  sits  on  his  right  hand.  The 
Spirit  shall  be  given  you,  as  surely  as  he  is  given  to  Christ.  He 
is  given  to  Christ  as  the  oil  of  gladness,  wherewith  he  is  anointed 
above  his  fellows.  You  are  as  sure  to  wear  a  crown  of  glory,  as 
that  Christ  is  now  wearing  his.  You  are  as  sure  to  sit  upon  Christ's 
throne,  as  that  Christ  is  now  sitting  on  his  Father's  throne.  O 
weep  for  joy,  happy  believer !  O  sing  for  gladness  of  heart : 
"  For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord." 

II.  What  is  conviction  of  righteousness  ? 

Show  what  it  is  not. 

1.  It  is  not  any  impression  on  the  imagination.  Just  as  men 
have  often  imaginary  terrors,  so  men  have  also  imaginary  views 
of  Christ,  and  of  the  glory  of  being  in  Christ.  Sometimes  they 
think  they  see  Christ  with  the  bodily  eye  ;  or  sometimes  they 
think  they  hear  words  borne  in  upon  their  mind,  telling  of  the 
beauty  of  Christ.  Now  this  is  not  conviction  of  righteousness. 
Indeed,  such  things  may  accompany  true  conversion.  There  is 
no  impossibility  in  it.  Stephen  and  Paul  both  saw  Christ,  and 
most  of  you  remember  a  very  singular  example  of  something 
similar  in  more  modern  times.  But,  however  this  may  be,  one  thing 
is  certain,  that  conviction  of  righteousness  is  very  different  from 


420  SERMON    LXXI 

this.     It  is  a  fai"  higher  and  nobler  thing — given  only  by  the  Spirit 
of  God.    Blessed  are  they  who  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed. 

2.  It  is  not  a  revelation  of  any  new  truths  not  contained  in  the 
Bible.  When  the  Spirit  revealed  Christ  to  the  apostles  and  pro- 
phets of  old,  he  revealed  new  truths  concerning  Christ.  But 
when  he  convinces  a  sinner  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  he  does 
it  by  opening  up  the  truths  contained  in  the  Bible.  If  he  revealed 
new  truths,  then  we  might  put  away  the  Bible,  and  sit  alone,  wait- 
ing for  the  Spirit  to  come  down  on  us.  But  this  is  contrary  to 
the  Bible  and  experience.  David  prays  :  "  Open  thou  mine  eyes, 
that  I  may  see  wonders."  Where  ?  Not  in  heaven  above  nor 
earth  beneath,  but  "  out  of  thy  law."  It  is  through  the  truth  that 
the  Spirit  always  works  in  our  hearts  :  "  Sanctify  them  through 
thy  truth  ;  thy  Word  is  truth."  Therefore,  when  you  look  lor 
conviction  of  righteousness,  you  are  not  to  look  for  new  truths  not 
in  the  Bible,  but  for  divine  light  cast  upon  old  truths  already  in 
the  Bible. 

3.  It  is  not  mere  head  knowledge  of  what  the  Bible  says  of 
Christ  and  his  righteousness.  Most  unconverted  men  read  their 
Bibles,  and  many  of  them  understand  very  wonderfully  the  doc- 
trine of  imputed  righteousness  ;  yet  these  have  no  conviction  of 
righteousness.  All  awakened  souls  read  their  Bibles  very 
anxiously,  with  much  prayer  and  weeping ;  and  many  of  them 
seem  to  understand  very  clearly  the  truth  that  Christ  is  an  all-suf- 
ficient righteousness  ;  yet  they  tell  us  they  cannot  close  with 
Christ — they  cannot  apply  him  to  their  own  case.  Again :  the 
devils  believe  and  tremble.  The  devil  has  plainly  much  know- 
ledge of  the  Bible ;  and  from  the  quotations  he  made  to  Christ,  it 
is  plain  that  he  understood  much  of  the  work  of  redemption  ;  and 
yet  he  is  none  the  better  for  it ;  he  only  trembles  and  gnashes  his 
teeth  the  more.  Ah,  my  friends  !  if  you  have  no  more  than  head 
knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  you  have  no  more  than 
devils  have  ;  you  have  never  been  convinced  of  righteousness. 

What  is  it  ? 

Answer.  It  is  a  sense  of  the  fitness  and  preciousness  of  Christ, 
as  he  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel. 

1.  I  have  said  it  is  a  sense  of  the  preciousness  of  Christ,  that 
you  may  see  plainly  that  it  is  no  imaginary  feeling  of  Christ's 
beauty  ;  that  it  is  no  seeing  of  Christ  with  the  bodily  eyes  ;  that 
it  is  no  mere  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  his  righteousness  in  the 
head,  but  a  feeling  of  his  preciousness  in  the  heart.  I  before 
showed  you  that  there  is  all  the  difference  in  the  world  between 
knowing  a  thing  and  feeling  a  thing — between  having  a  knowledge 
of  a  thing,  and  having  a  sense  of  it.  There  is  all  the  difference 
in  the  world  between  knowing  that  honey  is  sweet,  and  tasting 
that  it  is  sweet,  so  as  to  have  a  sense  of  its  sweetness.  There  is 
a  great  difference  between  knowing  that  a  person  is  beautiful,  and 
actually  seeing,  so  as  to  have  a  present  sense  of  the  beauty  of  the 


SERMON    LXXl.  421 

person.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  knowing  that  a 
glove  will  fit  the  hand,  and  putting  it  on,  so  as  to  have  a  sense  of 
its  fitness.  Just  so,  brethren,  there  is  all  the  difference  between 
having  a  head  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  his  righteousness,  and 
having  a  heart  feeling  of  his  fitness  and  preciousness.  The  first 
may  be  acquired  from  flesh  and  blood,  or  from  books ;  the  second 
must  come  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 

2.  Again,  I  have  said,  it  is  a  sense  of  the  fitness  of  Christ.  It 
is  conceivable  that  a  person  may  ha,ve  a  sense  of  Christ's  pre- 
ciousness, without  having  a  sense  of  his  fitness.  Some  awakened 
souls  appear  to  feel  that  Christ  is  very  precious  ;  and  yet  they 
dare  not  put  on  Christ :  they  seem  to  want  a  sense  of  his  fitness 
to  their  case.  They  cry  out :  "  O  how  precious  a  Saviour  he  is 
to  all  his  people  !"  "  O  that  I  were  one  of  his  people  !  O  that  I 
were  hidden  in  his  bleeding  side  !"  And  yet  they  have  no  sense 
of  his  fitness  to  be  their  Saviour  ;  they  do  not  cry  out :  "  He 
just  fits  my  case  ! — he  is  the  very  Saviour  for  me  !"  For,  if 
they  felt  this,  they  would  be  at  peace  ;  their  lips  would  overflow 
with  joy.  But  no  ;  they  dare  not  appropriate  Christ.  Now,  then, 
conviction  of  righteousness  is  to  have  such  a  sense  of  Christ  *as 
leads  us,  without  hesitation,  to  put  on  Christ ;  and  that  I  have 
called  a  sense  of  his  fitness. 

It  gives  no  comfort  to  know  that  Christ  is  a  precious  Saviour  to 
others,  unless  I  know  that  he  is  a  precious  Saviour  to  me.  If  the 
deluge  is  coming  on — the  windows  of  heaven  opening,  and  the 
fountains  of  the  great  deep  broken  up — it  gives  me  no  peace  to 
know  that  there  is  an  ark  for  others,  unless  you  tell  me  that  there 
is  an  ark  for  me.  You  may  tell  me  of  Christ's  righteousness  for 
ever,  and  of  the  safety  of  all  that  are  in  him ;  but  you  must  con- 
vince me  that  that  righteousness  answers  me,  and  is  offered  to 
me,  else  I  have  no  comfort.  Now,  this  is  what  the  Spirit  does 
when  he  convinces  of  righteousness.  This,  and  this  only,  is  con- 
viction of  righteousness. 

O  brethren  !  it  is  no  slight  work  of  nature  to  persuade  a  soul, 
even  an  anxious  soul,  to  put  on  Christ.  If  it  were  a  natural  work, 
then  natural  means  might  do  it ;  but  it  is  a  supernatural  work,  and 
the  hand  of  the  Spirit  must  do  it.  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  reveal 
Christ  unto  you,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  No  man  can 
call  Jesus  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

1.  Let  all  unawakened  persons  see  how  far  off  they  are  from 
salvation.  Many  of  you  may  be  saying  just  now  in  your  heart : 
It  is  quite  true  I  am  not  at  present  a  saved  person  ;  but  I  am  not 
very  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  I  have  just  to  repent  and 
believe  on  Jesus,  and  then  I  am  saved.  Now,  since  this  is  so  short 
and  simple  a  matter,  I  may  do  it  any  time.  I  may  enjoy  the  world 
and  its  pleasures  a  little  longer ;  and  then,  when  death  or  disease 
threatens  me,  it  may  be  good  time  to  become  anxious.  Now,  all 
this  argument  proceeds  upon  a  falsehood.     You  think  you  are  not 


422  SERMON    LXXI. 

far  off  from  salvation ;  but  ah  !  my  friend,  you  are  as  far  from  sal- 
vation as  any  one  can  be  that  is  in  the  land  of  the  living.  There  is 
only  one  case  in  which  you  could  be  further  from  salvation,  and 
that  is  in  hell.  You  are  as  far  from  salvation  as  any  one  that  is 
out  of  hell.  (1.)  In  my  last  discourse,  I  showed  you  that  there 
must  be  a  divine  work  upon  your  heart  before  you  can  repent. 
You  may  have  much  head  knowledge  of  sin  without  the  Spirit, 
but  he  only  can  convince  you  of  sin.  That  Spirit  is  a  sovereign 
Spirit.  He  is  given  to  the  children  of  God  as  often  as  they  ask  him  ; 
but  he  is  not  at  the  bidding  of  unconverted  men.  You  cannot 
bid  him  come  when  you  foil  sick,  or  when  you  are  going  to  die ; 
or  if  you  should  bid  him.  he  has  nowhere  promised  to  obey.  (2.) 
And  now,  I  wish  you  to  see  that  there  is  a  second  divine  work 
needful  on  your  heart  before  you  can  believe.  The  Spirit  must 
convince  you  of  Christ's  righteousness.  Flesh  and  blood  cannot 
reveal  Christ  unto  you,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  That 
God  is  a  sovereign  God.  He  hath  mercy  upon  whom  he  will  have 
mercy.  He  is  not  at  the  bidding  of  unconverted  men.  He  has 
nowhere  promised  to  bring  to  Christ  all  whom  he  awakens.  Oh  ! 
how  plain  that  you  are  as  far  from  salvation  as  any  soul  can  be 
that  is  out  of  hell.  And  can  you  be  easy  when  you  are  at  such  a 
distance  from  salvation  ?  Can  you  go  and  sit  down  to  a  game  of 
chance,  to  while  away  the  time  between  this  and  judgment?  Can 
you  go  and  laugh  and  be  merry  in  your  sins  ?  How  truly,  then, 
did  Solomon  say :  "  The  laughter  of  fools  is  like  the  crackling  of 
thorns  under  a  pot" — a  loud  noise  for  a  moment,  then  everlasting 
silence — a  short  blaze,  and  a  dark  eternity. 

2.  Some  of  you  may  he  awakened  by  God. 

(1.)  Remember,  unless  you  attain  to  conviction  of  righteous- 
ness, your  conviction  of  sin  will  be  all  in  vain.  Remember,  anxi- 
ety for  the  soul  does  not  save  the  soul.  Sailors  in  a  shipwreck 
are  very  anxious.  They  cry  much  to  God  in  prayers  and  tears  ; 
and  yet,  though  they  are  anxious  men,  they  are  not  saved  men — 
the  vessel  goes  to  pieces,  and  all  are  drowned.  Travellers  in  a 
wilderness  may  be  very  anxious ;  their  hearts  may  die  within 
them  ;  yet  that  does  not  show  that  they  are  safe  ;  they  may  perish 
in  the  burning  sands.  So  you  are  much  afraid  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  it  may  be  God  has,  in  mercy,  stirred  up  these  anxieties  in 
your  bosom  ;  but  you  are  not  yet  saved  ;  unless  you  come  to  Christ 
all  will  be  in  vain  Many  are  convinced  who  are  never  con- 
verted. Many  are  now  in  hell  who  were  once  as  anxious  to  escape 
as  you. 

(2.)  Remember,  God  only  can  give  you  this.  The  Spirit  con- 
vinces of  righteousness.  It  is  not  flesh  and  blood  that  can  give 
you  a  sense  of  the  prcciousness  of  Christ.  It  is  true,  the  Bible 
and  preaching  are  the  means  through  which  God  works  this  con- 
viction. He  always  works  through  the  truth — never  without  the 
truth.     If  you  be  truly  awakened  I  know  how  anxiously  you  will 


SERMON    LXXI.  423 

wait  on  these  means  ;  how  you  will  search  the  Scriptures  with 
tears,  and  lose  no  opportunity  of  hearing  the  preached  Word. 
But  still,  the  Bible  and  preaching  are  only  means  of  themselves; 
they  can  only  make  natural  impressions  on  your  mind.  God  only 
can  make  supernatural  impressions.     Cry  to  God,  then. 

(3.)  But  remember,  God  is  a  sovereign  God.  Do  not  cry  to 
him  to  convert  you,  as  if  it  were  a  debt  he  owed  you.  There  is 
only  one  thing  you  can  claim  from  God  as  a  right,  and  that  is  a 
place  in  hell.  If  you  think  you  have  any  claim  on  God,  you  are 
deceiving  yourself.  You  are  not  yet  convinced  of  sin.  Lie  at 
the  feet  of  God  as  a  sovereign  God — a  God  who  owes  you  nothing 
but  punishment.  Lie  at  his  feet  as  the  God  who  alone  can  reveal 
Christ  unto  you.  Cry  night  and  day  that  he  would  reveal  Christ 
unto  you — that  he  would  shine  into  your  darkness,  and  give  you 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Christ.  One  glimpse  of  that  face  will  give  you  peace.  It  may 
be  you  shall  be  hid  in  the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger. 

3.  Some  of  you  have  come  to  Christ.  Oh,  what  miracles  of 
grace  you  are !  Twice  over  you  are  saved  by  grace.  When 
you  were  loathsome  in  your  sins,  and  yet  asleep,  the  Spirit 
awakened  you.  Thousands  were  sleeping  beside  you.  He  left 
thousands  to  perish,  but  awakened  you. 

Again,  Though  awakened,  you  were  as  loathsome  as  ever  : 
you  were  as  vile  in  the  sight  of  God  as  ever,  only  you  dreaded 
hell.  In  some  respects  you  were  more  wicked  than  the  unawaken- 
ed  world  around  you.  They  would  not  come  to  Christ,  because 
they  felt  no  need.  But  you  felt  your  need,  yet  would  not  come. 
You  made  God  a  liar  more  than  they,  yet  God  had  mercy  on  you. 
He  led  you  to  Christ — convinced  you  of  righteousness.  So  you 
are  twice  over  saved  by  grace.  "  O  to  grace  how  great  a  debtor!" 
*'  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  1"  Will  you 
not  love  him  with  all  your  heart  ?  Will  you  not  serve  him  with 
all  you  have  ?  And  when  he  says :  Feed  this  poor  orphan  for 
my  sake,  will  you  not  say  :  Lord,  when  I  give  for  thee,  it  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive  ? 

Dundee,  February  11,  1837 


424  SERMON   LXXIL 


SERMON  LXXIL 

MY    LORD,    AND    MY    GOD. 

"  And  after  eight  days  again  his  disciples  were  within,  and  Thomas  with  them  . 
then  came  Jesus,  the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said.  Peace  be 
unto  you.  Then  saith  he  to  Thomas,  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my 
hands,  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side  :  and  be  not  faith- 
less, but  believing.  And  Thomas  answered  and  said  unto  him.  My  Lord,  and  my 
God."— John  xx.,  26-28. 

L  Lesson.  When  believers  meet  together,  Jesus  stands  in  the  midst, 
and  says :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  "  His  disciples  were  within,"  &c. 
—Verse  26. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  day  in  which  Jesus  rose  from  the 
dead  that  the  disciples  were  assembled  together.  He  had  appear- 
ed unto  Mary  Magdalene,  and  unto  Peter,  and  unto  two  of  the 
disciples,  on  the  way  to  Emmaus ;  and  now  they  were  met  to- 
gether to  meditate,  to  wonder,  to  pray  over  these  things,  when 
Jesus  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said  :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  "  Then 
were  the  disciples  glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord." 

Again  :  it  was  upon  the  same  evening,  a  week  after,  that  the 
disciples  met  again ;  and  Jesus  again  revealed  himself  to  them, 
saying :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  This  was  a  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
mise which  he  made  long  before  :  "  Where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 
And  again  he  said :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world."  This  promise  has  always  been,  and  always  will 
be  fulfilled.  Jesus  still  loves  the  assembly  of  his  saints.  If  you 
could  look  into  the  private  history  of  Christians,  you  would  find 
that  most  of  them  have  been  awakened  in  the  house  of  God  ;  that 
they  were  first  brought  to  a  soul-refreshing  view  of  Christ  there ; 
that  they  have  been  comforted  there,  and  have  received  most  of 
their  heavenly  joys  there.  Ah  !  it  is  where  disciples  meet  that 
Jesus  comes  in  and  says  :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  David  says  : 
"  My  feet  were  almost  gone  ;  my  steps  had  well  nigh  slipped  ;  for 
I  was  envious  at  the  foolish,  when  I  saw  the  prosperity  of  the 
wicked,  until  I  went  into  the  sanctuary,  then  understood  I  their 
end."  All  his  difficulties  were  solved,  and  he  was  enabled  to  say : 
"  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever."  So 
Thomas  had  spent  a  most  uncomfortable  week.  These  words, 
"  I  will  not  believe,"  always  bring  pain  and  sorrow  after  them. 
His  mind  was  full  of  misgivings  and  racking  doubts  ;  but  he  came 
to  the  meeting  of  the  disciples,  and  there  Jesus  revealed  himself 
to  him,  and  he  was  filled  with  amazement  and  joy. 

I  trust  this  may  be  the  experience  of  some  this  Sabbath-day. 
Perhaps  some  have  spent  a  week  of  trouble  instead  of  peace — a 


SERMON    LXXII.  425 

week  of  doubting  when  others  are  rejoicing.  Some  of  you,  when 
others  were  glad,  said :  "  I  will  not  believe."  Learn  from 
Thomas  not  to  forsake  the  assembling  of  yourselves  together. 
Doubting,  drooping,  trembling,  may  Christ  reveal  himself  to  you, 
saying  :  *'  Peace  be  unto  you." 

When  the  doors  were  shut,  Jesus  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said : 
"  Peace  be  unto  you." 

1.  When  doors  are  shut  through  fear  of  persecution,  Jesus  re- 
veals himself  to  the  soul.  So  it  was  with  the  disciples.  They 
had  shut  the  doors  of  their  upper  chamber  for  fear  of  the  Jews. 
They  were  reproached  and  vilified  as  those  who  had  been  with 
Christ ;  nay,  there  was  some  fear  that  they  would  be  made  to 
share  the  same  death  ;  so  they  shut  the  doors  of  the  place  where 
they  met.  But  that  was  the  very  time  Jesus  chose  to  come  in. 
When  the  world  was  threatening  them,  saying,  Torments  and 
death  be  unto  them,  Jesus  said :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  So  is 
it  now.  The  world  is  just  as  bitter  against  Christians  now  as 
ever  it  was.  Some  of  you  who  joined  yourselves  to  the  Lord 
last  Sabbath-day  may  have  found  out  by  this  time  that  the  world 
hates  you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  Lord.  Some  of 
you  may  have  become  partakers  of  the  afflictions  of  the  Gospel, 
and  are  feeling  this  day  that  the  offence  of  the  cross  has  not 
ceased.  Worldly  friends  may  upbraid — may  persecute — may 
reproach  you;  but  never  mind.  When  the  doors  are  shut  for 
fear,  Jesus  comes  in,  and  says  :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  Remem-" 
ber,  when  you  are  bolting  persecution  out,  you  are  not  bolting 
Jesus  out.  He  can  come  through  all  these  bars.  When  the 
world  says,  Plagues  be  upon  you,  Christ  says :  "  Peace  be  unto 
you."  And  herein  is  a  wonder,  that  Christ's  voice,  though  it  be 
a  still  small  voice,  is  yet  far  louder  than  the  world.  It  calmed 
the  waves  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  and,  oh  !  it  will  speak  peace  to 
your  soul.  When  the  waves  of  persecution  roar  against  you,  he 
says  :  "  Fear  not ;  it  is  I.     Peace  be  unto  you." 

2.  When  a  man  is  quite  shut  up,  Jesus  cojnes  in,  and  says: 
"  Peace  he  unto  you."  The  reason  why  some  awakened  persons 
are  long  of  coming  to  peace,  and  some  never  come  to  peace  at 
all,  is,  that  they  think  to  find  an  open  door  for  themselves.  They 
feel  shut  up,  by  the  fears  of  wrath  hemming  them  in  on  every  side, 
but  still  they  hope  to  find  some  way  of  their  own  by  which  to 
escape.  They  are  not  altogether  shut  up.  They  have  not  been 
brought  to  despair  of  ever  saving  themselves.  They  have  not 
been  brought  to  feel  and  say,  I  never  can  do  anything  to  save 
myself.  It  is  impossible  such  persons  can  be  brought  to  peace  as 
every  door  is  not  shut.  If  God  were  to  give  them  peace,  they 
would  praise  themselves,  and  say:  We  did  it. 

Are  there  any  such  hearing  me  1  Look  here.  It  was  when 
the  doors  were  shut  that  Jesus  came  in  ;  and  so  it  is  with  the  soul. 
It  is  when  the  mouth  is  stopped,  and  you  stand  lost  and  guilty 


426  SERMON    LXXII. 

before  God — when  you  have  no  door  of  your  own — Jesus  comes 
in,  and  says  :  "  I  am  the  door ;  peace  be  unto  you." 

3.  When  doors  of  worldly  comforts  are  shut,  Christ  comes  in, 
and  says :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  So  it  was  with  the  disciples. 
They  were  like  a  family  of  orphans  deprived  of  their  head.  They 
were  like  a  nest  of  unfledged  birds,  from  whom  the  murderous 
hand  had  carried  off"  their  dam,  beneath  whose  sheltering  wing 
they  used  to  find  repose.  They  had  left  all  to  follow  Christ,  they 
had  come  to  trust  under  his  almighty  wing  ;  and  now  he  had  left 
them  all  but  desolate.  They  shut  their  doors  upon  the  cold  bleak 
world,  to  show  that  no  comfort  was  to  be  expected  from  the  world. 
That  was  the  very  time  when  Jesus  came  in  with  sweetest  power 
to  fulfil  his  word,  "  I  will  not  leave  you  orphans  ;  I  will  come  to 
you,"  saying :  "  Peace  be  unto  you." 

So  is  it  now.  When  worldly  comforts  abound,  then  the  conso- 
lations of  Christ  do  little  abound.  It  is  not  when  the  world  is  full 
of  smiles  and  kindness  that  a  true  believer  has  the  sweetest  visits 
of  the  Saviour.  It  is  rather  when  the  believer  is  left  like  an  or- 
phan, when  comforts  are  withdrawn,  when  friends  die,  or  prove 
untrue,  when  the  bleak  world  looks  chillingly,  and  he  shuts  the 
door,  saying,  "  Miserable  comforters  are  ye  all " — it  is  then  that 
Jesus  comes  in,  and  says,  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  The  brightest 
gleams  of  sunshine  are  those  that  come  through  the  darkest  clouds  ; 
so  the  sweetest  visits  of  the  Saviour  are  when  the  doors  of 
worldly  comfort  are  shut.  Are  you  a  believer?  You  will  have 
troubles  ;  but,  oh  !  you  will  have  Christ  with  them  all. 

II.  Lesson.     How  kind  Christ  is  to  wayward  believers  ! 

Thomas  was  a  most  unbelieving  believer,  and  yet  Christ  follow- 
ed him  with  kindness.  If  the  other  disciples  were  foolish,  and 
slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  had  spoken,  much 
more  was  Thomas.  1.  He  should  have  believed  the  prophets. 
It  was  written  in  the  16th  Psalm:  "  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul 
in  hell,  neitlier  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption." 
He  knew  this  to  be  the  word  of  God.  Thomas  should  have  be- 
lieved the  witness  of  God.  2.  Thomas  should  have  believed  the 
simple  word  of  Christ.  Three  times  Christ  had  solemnly  taken 
his  disciples  into  a  lonely  place,  and  told  them  that  he  must  be 
crucified,  and  that  he  would  rise  again  on  the  third  day.  Thomas 
should  have  believed  the  witness  of  Christ.  3.  Thomas  should 
have  believed  the  words  of  Mary  and  Peter,  and  of  the  two  dis- 
ciples that  went  to  Emmaus,  and  of  all  the  other  disciples,  who 
told  him,  "  we  have  seen  the  Lord."  But,  oh  I  he  was  foolish,  and 
slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  was  spoken  concerning  Jesus,  for 
he  said,  "  Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  my  hand 
into  his  side,  I  will  not  believe."  He  doubts  the  word  of  God,  he 
doubts  the  word  of  Christ,  he  doubts  the  word  of  bis  brethren 


SERMON    LXXII.  427 

Nothing  but  seeing,  and  feeling,  will  satisfy  him.  Surely  Christ 
will  cast  off  this  proud,  wayward,  unbelieving  soul,  ^ie  does  not 
deserve  any  more  testimony.  Ah  !  what  foolish  words  do  I 
speak ;  he  never  deserved  any  testimony  at  all.  But  O  what 
grace  there  is  in  Christ !  how  he  comes  over  mountains  of  provo- 
cation towards  wayward  believers !  He  actually  comes  in,  and 
offers  Thomas  the  very  evidence  he  asked :  "  Reach  hither  thy 
finger,  and  behold  my  hands,  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust 
it  into  my  side  :  and  be  not  faithless,  but  believing."  Such  is  the 
love  of  Christ  to  wayward  believers.  Christ  may  have  dealt  in 
the  very  same  way  with  some  of  you. 

Speak  to  awakened  souls  who  yet  say  "/  will  not  believe." — Some 
of  you  have  been  awakened  by  God,  and  made  anxious  about 
your  souls.  You  feel  the  guilt  of  a  broken  law,  you  feel  the 
curse  of  a  rejected  Gospel  hanging  over  you.  We  point  you  to 
Christ,  and  say,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the 
sins  of  the  world."  But  you  say  you  cannot — you  dare  not — you 
will  not  believe.  You  cannot  believe  that  God  had  such  divine 
compassion  in  his  bosom  to  provide  a  ransom  for  one  so  vile  as 
you !  You  cannot  believe  that  Christ  has  got  so  strange  a  love 
that  he  should  be  willing  to  be  the  surety  of  such  an  enemy  as 
you  !  Your  word  is  just  this  :  "  Except  I  see,  I  will  not  believe." 
Ah !  you  are  just  Thomas  over  again.  You  are  foolish,  and  slow 
of  heart  to  believe  all  that  has  been  spoken  concerning  Jesus. 

1.  You  have  rejected  the  testimony  of  God. — You  search  the 
Scriptures,  and  these  are  they  which  testify  of  me ;  yet  ye  will 
not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have  life.  All  the  prophets  have 
borne  witness  to  you  concerning  Jesus,  setting  him  forth  before 
you  as  a  silent,  suffering  Lamb;  as  one  making  atonement  for 
sins.  In  the  Psalms  you  have  been  led  to  cry,  "  See,  God,  our 
shield  ;  look  upon  the  face  of  thine  Anointed."  But  O,  you  have 
refused  all  this  !  You  have  still  said,  Christ  is  not  for  me  ;  I  will 
not  believe. 

2.  You  have  rejected  the  witness  of  Christ. — Christ  himself  has 
borne  witness  to  you.  He  has  told  you  that  if  you  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden,  you  should  come  to  him,  and  find  rest ;  that  if 
you  are  thirsty,  you  should  come  to  him  and  drink.  He  is  the 
faithful  and  true  witness,  and  he  says,  "  If  it  were  not  so,  I  would 
have  told  you ;"  and  yet  you  have  refused  all  this.  You  have 
still  said,  Christ  is  not  for  me ;  "  except  I  see,  I  will  not  believe." 

3.  You  have  rejected  the  testimony  of  believers. — Christian  friends 
have  borne  witness  to  you.  They  have  said,  '•  We  have  seen  the 
Lord."  Christians  have  told  you  that  they  were  in  the  same  case 
with  you — had  the  same  sins  and  the  same  heart.  They  had  the 
same  fears,  and  the  same  darkness ;  but  Christ  came  in  when  the 
doors  were  shut,  and  said,  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  We  have  no 
better  right  to  Christ  than  you.  We  take  him  because  we  are 
lost  sinners,  and  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  lost.     He  is  as  free  to 


428  SERMON    LXXII. 

you  as  to  us.     But,  ah  !  you  have  despised  all  this  evidence — you 
still  say,  Christ  is  not  for  me ;  "  except  I  see,. I  will  not  believe." 

Now,  it  would  be  quite  just  in  Christ  to  say :  I  will  seek  you  no 
more.  It  would  be  quite  just  in  Christ  to  leave  you  in  your  dark- 
ness— in  your  unbelief.  But  as  he  dealt  with  Thomas,  so  hath  he 
dealt  with  you.  He  has  tried  one  way  more  with  you.  Last 
Sabbath-day  he  broke  bread,  and  poured  out  wine,  and  made  a 
picture  of  his  silent  wounds  ;  of  his  dying  love ;  and  he  said : 
*'  Reach  hither  thy  finger :  be  not  faithless,  but  believing  !"  O  the 
compassion  of  Christ — it  passeth  all  knowledge  ! 

1.  To  believers.  Did  you  come  to  the  table  of  Christ  full  of 
unbelief;  unable  to  realize  Christ ;  unable  to  lay  hold  on  him  ? 
and  did  he  reveal  himself  to  you  in  the  broken  bread  and  poured- 
out  wine  ?  Ah  !  this  is  the  same  mercy  he  gave  to  Thomas. 
You,  of  all  persons  in  the  world,  should  feel  that  Christ  is  a  long- 
suffering  Saviour. 

2.  To  aioakened  persons.  Did  you  keep  back  from  the  table  of 
Christ  because  you  dared  not  say  that  Christ  was  yours  1  But  did 
you  look  on  and  see  Christ  evidently  set  forth  crucified  ?  Did 
you  see  how  the  bread  was  broken ;  a  picture  of  his  body  that 
was  broken  ?  Did  you  see  the  wine  poured  out ;  a  picture  of  his 
blood  that  was  shed  ?  Ah  !  did  your  heart  not  burn  within  you 
when  you  looked  around — saw,  as  it  were,  the  silent,  suffering 
Lamb  of  God  ?  This  is  the  word  of  Christ  unto  you  :  "  Be  not 
faithless,  but  believing."  The  very  fact  that  your  eyes  have  been 
permitted  to  see  another  sacrament,  shows  plainly  that  Christ  is 
seeking  you;  stretching  out  the  hands  to  you;  offering  himself  to 
you.     "  Be  not  faithless,  but  believing." 

III.  Lesson.  Thomas's  appropriating  faith :  "  Thomas  saith 
unto  him.  My  Lord,  and  my  God." 

When  Thomas  came  to  the  meeting  of  disciples  that  evening,  I 
doubt  not  his  heart  was  very  desolate.  Unbelief  and  unhappiness 
always  go  together.  An  unbelieving  believer  is  of  all  men  most 
miserable.  His  brethren  around  him  were  full  of  joy,  for  they 
had  seen  the  Lord.  Mary  still  remembered  the  blessed  tone  of 
his  voice  when  he  said:  "  Mary!  and  she  answered,  Rabboni  ?" 
Peter  was  wondering  over  his  amazing  love  when  he  said :  "  Go 
tell  the  disciples,  and  Peter."  And  the  bosom  of  John  was  filled 
with  a  silent  feeling  of  unutterable  love.  All  were  glad  but  one. 
That  one  was  Thomas.  But  now,  when  Christ  came  in  ;  when 
he  revealed  himself  a  crucified  but  risen  Redeemer ;  when  he 
showed  his  special  kindness  to  Thomas,  the  heart  of  Thomas 
could  stand  out  no  longer,  and  he  cried  out,  in  words  of  appro- 
priating faith,  before  all :  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God." 

Learn  two  things  : — 

1.  To  appropriate  Christ — to  call  him  your  own.  It  will  not 
save  you  to  know  that  Christ  is  a  Saviour.    The  devils  know  that. 


SERMON    LXXIII.  429 

and  tremble.  It  would  not  have  saved  you  from  the  flood  to  know 
that  there  was  an  ark.  You  must  be  in  it,  if  you  would  be  saved. 
So  it  will  not  save  you  that  you  know  there  is  a  great  and 
glorious  Saviour,  if  you  do  not  call  him  your  own :  "  My  Lord, 
and  my  God." 

Obj. — It  would  be  too  bold  in  me  to  call  him  mine. 

Ans. — He  offers  himself  to  you.  He  stretched  out  his  hands  to 
you  when  you  were  gainsaying  and  disobedient.  He  has  awaken- 
ed you — followed  you  till  now.  Ah  !  it  is  daring  presumption 
to  refuse  him.  Take  with  you  words,  and  say  :  "  My  Lord, 
and  my  God."  Is  there  any  presumption  in  taking  Christ  at  his 
word  ? 

2.  Confess  him  before  all.  Thomas  had  denied  Christ  before  all, 
saying  :  "  I  will  not  believe  ;"  and  therefore  it  was  right  he  should 
confess  Christ  before  all,  saying  :  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God."  Ah  ! 
are  there  none  of  you  who  have  denied  Christ  before  all  ?  Some 
of  you  have  said :  I  will  not  believe  ;  have  kept  away  from  the 
table  of  Christ  because  you  dare  not  call  Christ  your  own.  Some 
of  you  have  denied  him  in  your  life,  proclaiming  to  all  who  know 
you  that  you  despise  the  Son  of  God.  Remember,  then,  I  beseech 
you,  the  sight  of  last  Sabbath-day.  Remember  Christ  has  again 
offered  himself  to  you,  and  is  this  day  seeking  you.  Come,  then, 
and  let  your  acceptance  of  Christ  be  as  open  as  your  denial  of 
him.  Go  home,  tell  your  friends,  tell  your  companions,  he  is  "  my 
Lord,  and  my  God." 
Dundee,  JVov.  4,  1837. 


SERMON  LXXIIJ. 

HAVE    I    BEEN    SO    LONG    TIME    WITH    YOU  ? 

"  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  thou  hast  not  known  me,  Philip  ?" — 

John  xiv.,  9. 

Christ  had  been  with  his  disciples  night  and  day  during  the  three 
years  of  his  ministry.  They  had  seen  him  in  all  situations,  walk- 
ing on  the  sea,  feeding  the  multitudes,  raising  the  dead.  They 
had  heard  all  his  words  in  the  synagogues,  in  the  temple,  in  the 
fields.  He  had  fed  them  with  milk,  and  not  with  strong  meat, 
giving  them  instruction  just  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it ;  and  yet 
it  is  amazing  how  blind  they  were  to  his  glory  and  greatness. 
They  were  foolish,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  had  spoken  concerning  him,  and  all  that  he  had  spoken 
concerning  himself. 

This  was  the  last  night  that  Jesus  was  to  be  with  his  disciples, 
and  his  heart  was  full  of  a  tenderness  which  is  not  of  the  world  at 


430  SERMON    LXXIII.   . 

all.  But  the  more  full  and  tender  his  holy  heart  became,  the  more 
dull  and  stupid  did  his  disciples  become,  "  Philip  saith  unto  him, 
Lord,  show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith  unto 
him.  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not 
known  me,  Philip  ?" 

Two  things  give  this  reply  a  peculiar  tenderness:  1.  He  re- 
minds Philip  that  he  had  been  with  him.  He  was  equal  with  the 
Father,  was  in  the  bosom  of  God,  and  yet  had  come  and  dwelt 
with  them.  He  had  left  the  company  of  the  worshipping  angels 
to  company  with  them ;  the  King  of  glory  dwelt  with  worms: ! 
Had  he  smiled  on  them  from  heaven,  that  would  have  been  won- 
derful ;  but  he  says, "  I  have  been  with  you,  with  you  by  the  way- 
side and  by  the  well,  with  you  on  the  sea  and  in  the  wilderness, 
I  have  been  your  elder  brother,  and  yet  have  you  not  known 
me  V  2.  That  he  had  been  long  with  them :  "  So  long  time." 
Had  it  been  for  a  moment  that  the  Son  of  God  had  visited  the 
earth,  O  it  would  have  been  wonderful !  but  it  was  for  years. 
Three  years  he  had  gone  in  and  out  with  them.  He  had  taught 
them,  opened  the  Scriptures,  taught  them  to  pray,  led  them  like 
an  elder  brother  all  that  time,  willing  to  explain  everything  to 
them.  O,  then,  what  tenderness  there  is  in  this  word :  "  Have  I 
been  so  long  ?" 

Doctrine. — When  Christ  has  been  long  with  any  soul,  he 
expects  that  soul  to  know  him. 

I.  To  Christians. 

1.  Christ  has  been  with  believers.  He  says  to  every  child  of 
God:  "I  have  been  with  you."  (1.)  In  conversion.  It  is  the 
revealing  of  Christ  to  the  soul  which  brings  it  to  peace.  When 
Christ  revealed  himself  to  Saul,  then  he  fell  to  the  ground,  and 
cried,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  So  it  is  still. 
Christ  is  with  the  soul  in  conversion.  Are  you  converted  ? 
Then  you  have  been  with  Jesus,  and  Jesus  has  been  with  you. 
(2.)  In  the  wilderness  Christ  is  with  the  soul.  The  soul  leans  on 
the  Beloved  coming  up  out  of  the  wilderness.  If  you  be  believers 
at  all,  you  know  what  it  is  to  have  the  sweet  strengthening  pre- 
sence of  the  Beloved.  (3.)  In  affliction.  Christ  is  peculiarly 
near  in  the  fire  and  in  the  water :  "  When  thou  passest  through 
the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee."  And  again,  "  I  will  not  leave 
you  orphans  ;  I  will  come  to  you."  It"  you  be  Christians,  you  have 
felt  that  Christ  is  with  you  in  the  day  of  adversity.  When  doors 
are  shut,  Jesus  stands  in  the  midst,  and  says,  "  Peace."  (4.)  In 
prayer :  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  He  is  near  at  our 
breathing,  at  our  cry,  to  offer  up  our  prayer  with  much  incense. 
He  never  misses  the  simplest  cry  of  the  simplest  believer. 
Christians,  you  know  that  Christ  is  with  you  in  prayer.  It  is  this 
which  gives  you  boldness  at  the  throne  of  grace. 


gERM)N    LXXIII.  431 

2.  Christ  has  been  long  time  with  believers :  "  Have  I  been  so 
long  time  with  you?"  he  says.  Christ  had  been  only  three  years 
"with  the  disciples  when  he  said  this.  He  has  been  a  much 
longer  time  with  some  of  you.  Look  back,  dear  Christians,  on 
the  way  by  which  he  has  led  you.  This  day  is  an  eminence, 
stand  upon  it,  and  look  back.  How  long  time  has  Christ  been 
with  you?  Some  of  you  who  are  up  in  years  were  converted  in 
youth,  you  had  a  lifetime  with  Christ.  He  has  been  with  you  as 
your  surety,  as  your  strength,  as  your  elder  brother,  as  your 
advocate  with  the  Father.  He  has  been  with  you  thus  for  many, 
many  years.  If  some  great  nobleman  were  to  come  and  pay 
you  a  visit,  and  be  an  intimate  friend  with  you,  you  would  think 
it  a  great  thing.  But  O  how  much  greater  is  this !  Christ  has 
been  with  you,  Christ  knows  your  name,  Christ  has  often  said  of 
you,  as  of  Zaccheus, "  To-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house." 

Some  of  you  may  have  been  but  lately  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  Christ.  You  have  but  lately  opened  the  door  and  let  him  in. 
Still  he  hath  been  long  with  you.  To  have  Christ  with  you  for 
a  single  day  is  to  have  him  long  with  you,  it  is  so  great  an  honor, 
it  is  so  great  a  blessing.  O  there  is  a  day  at  hand  when  you  will 
reckon  a  moment  spent  with  Christ  as  more  than  all  your  life  be- 
sides !     "  A  day  spent  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand." 

3.  Christ  reproves  believers  for  knowing  so  little  of  him :  "  Hast 
thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?"  The  apostles  knew  much  of  Christ, 
and  yet  they  were  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all.  So  is  it  with 
Christians  now.  They  know  much  of  Christ,  yet  they  are  slow 
of  heart  to  believe  all.  There  are  many  signs  that  Christians  do 
not  know  Christ. 

1.  Little  happiness  among  Christians.  There  is  very  little  sense 
of  being  pardoned.  Some  of  you,  who  appear  to  be  Christians, 
would  almost  start  were  I  to  ask  you  if  you  feel  the  foi'giveness 
of  sins.  You  seem  to  fear  it,  as  an  unlawful  question,  as  if  it  were 
a  secret  not  for  you  to  know.  Is  this  the  case  with  you  ?  Ah  ! 
how  truly  Christ  may  say  :  "  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you, 
yet  hast  thou  not  known  me  ?"  Has  not  Christ  been  revealed  to 
you  a  crucified  Saviour,  the  wrath  of  God  all  poured  out  on  him  ? 
"  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have 
spoken !" 

2.  Little  communion  with  God.  When  you  stand  in  the  sun- 
shine, you  feel  the  warm  beams  of  the  sun ;  so,  when  you  stand 
in  Christ,  you  should  feel  the  warm  beams  of  his  love.  There  is 
little  of  this.  Believers  are  said  to  be  "  a  people  near  to  God." 
Entering  through  the  rent  veil,  they  draw  near  to  the  Father,  they 
dwell  in  his  secret  place,  and  abide  under  his  shadow.  There  is 
little,  very  little  of  this.  How  truly  may  Christ  say :  "  Have  I 
been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  me, 
Philip  ?" 

3.  Little  holiness  among  Christians.     If  Christians  had  an  eye 


432  SERMON   LXXIII. 

on  a  reigning,  praying,  coming  Saviour,  O  how  different  persons 
they  would  be  !  What  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all 
holy  conversation  and  godliness,  seeing  ye  look  for  such  things  ? 
(1.)  How  much  covetousness  there  is  among  some  of  you  that 
seem  to  be  Christians,  how  much  calling  your  money  your  own. 
hugging  it  all  to  yourself,  to  please  yourself,  to  be  enjoyed  by  your- 
self; and  all  this  when  the  cause  of  Christ  calls  loud  for  sacrifices  ! 
(2.)  How  much  bitterness  there  is  among  some  of  you  that  seem 
to  be  Christians,  how  much  of  a  proud,  unforgiving  spirit,  keeping 
up  the  remembrance  of  injuries,  nursing  your  wrath  !  (3.)  How 
much  likeness  to  the  world  in  your  feasts  and  luxuries,  in  your 
trifling,  yea,  sinful  amusements  ;  and.  above  all,  in  your  conversa- 
tion !  Who  that  hears  you  speak,  would  know  that  ever  you  had 
been  with  Jesus,  or  he  with  you  ?  Why  is  all  this  ?  Ans.  Be- 
cause ye  know  so  little  of  Christ.  For  all  that  Christ  has  been  so 
long  with  you,  yet  you  know  almost  nothing  of  him.  Ah  !  do  not 
let  this  year  go  without  resolving  to  know  more  of  Christ.  He  is 
with  you  still.  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  him.  A  few 
days,  and  you  may  see  no  more  of  him.  Your  days  of  grace  may 
be  nearly  ended.  Many  of  you  will  not  see  the  close  of  another 
year.  Walk  in  the  light,  while  ye  have  the  light.  Know  Christ, 
and  then  ye  shall  be  like  him. 

II.  Awakened. 

1.  Christ  is  with  awakened  souls.  (1.)  He  awakened  them. 
No  man  is  naturally  anxious  about  his  soul.  It  is  a  work  of 
Christ  on  the  soul.  When  the  lightning  has  passed  through  a  wood, 
as  you  look  upon  one  tree  and  another  that  has  been  split  by  its 
mighty  flash,  you  say  :  Ah  !  the  lightning  has  been  here  ;  so, 
when  you  see  a  heart  split  and  broken  under  a  sense  of  its  lost 
condition,  you  may  say  :  Ah  !  Christ  has  been  here.  Are  any 
of  you  awakened  ?  Christ  has  been  with  you.  He  saw  you  in 
your  sin  and  folly.  He  pitied  you,  he  drew  near,  he  touched  your 
heart,  and  made  you  feel  yourself  lost,  in  order  that  you  might 
seek  him  as  a  Saviour.  Do  not  doubt  Christ  has  been  with  you. 
(2.)  He  is  seeking  awakened  souls,  and  therefore  is  with  them. 
When  a  shepherd  goes  into  the  mountains  in  search  of  lost  sheep, 
he  seeks  peculiarly  those  which  are  bleeding  and  torn,  making  the 
valleys  resound  with  their  sad  bleatings  ;  he  bends  over  the 
wounded  sheep.  When  a  good  physician  enters  the  hospital,  he 
hurries  to  the  beds  of  the  most  diseased,  of  those  who  are  pite- 
ously  groaning  under  their  pains ;  he  bends  over  such.  So  does 
Christ  seek  bleeding,  groaning  souls,  with  a  peculiar  care.  His 
word  is  :  "  He  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted ;  he 
hath  given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned  to  speak  a  word  in  sea- 
son to  them  that  are  weary."  Are  you  an  awakened  soul  ?  Then 
you  may  be  quite  sure  Christ  is  with  you,  bending  over  you. 

2.  Long  time.     Some  persons  continue  under  convictions  of  sin 


SERMON    LXXIII.  433 

for  a  long  time  ;  some  for  months  and  years.  This  year,  I  doubt 
not,  has  seen  many  souls  awakened.  Now  Christ  waits  long  upon 
these  souls.  He  stands  at  the  door  all  the  day  :  "  I  have  stretched 
out  my  hands  all  the  day  to  a  gainsaying  and  disobedient  people  ;" 
and  then,  when  night  comes,  as  he  still  stands  and  waits :  "  My 
head  is  filled  with  dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night." 
Are  there  any  awakened  souls  hearing  me  1  Christ  has  been  long 
with  you.  The  Bible  has  been  his  witness  ;  it  has  been  with  you 
night  and  day.  His  ministers  have  told  you  of  Jesus  ;  they  have 
waited  and  been  long-suffering  with  you.  Christ  himself  has 
bended  over  you.  Never  did  a  beggar  stand  at  the  door  of  a  rich 
man  so  long  as  Christ  has  stood  at  your  door. 

3.  Yet  hast  thou  not  known  me.  Although  Christ  be  so  long 
with  awakened  souls,  yet  many  will  not  know  him.  It  is  life 
eternal  to  know  him.  It  would  heal  all  their  pains  if  they  would 
only  look  upon  him  ;  but  they  will  not  look.  Some  of  you  are  in 
this  state.  It  is  your  sin,  and  it  is  your  misery.  (1.)  Christ  has 
long  stood  at  your  door  and  knocked.  If  you  had  opened,  you 
would  have  seen  a  bleeding  Saviour,  a  surety,  a  righteousness. 
You  would  have  looked  to  him,  and  been  lightened  ;  but  you 
would  not  open.  (2.)  Christ  has  stood  and  cried :  "  If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  to  me,  and  drink."  You  feel  very  thirsty, 
yet  you'  do  not  come  to  Christ  to  drink.  (3.)  Christ  has  cried : 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest."  You  are  bent  down  with  your  burden,  yet  you 
will  not  come  to  Christ  in  order  to  have  life.  (4.)  Christ  has 
cried,  "  Follow  me :  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  dark- 
ness." You  vibrate  between  him  and  the  world.  You  cling  to 
the  world,  even  though  you  are  miserable.  How  long  shall  it  be 
thus  ?  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not 
known  me,  poor  anxious  sduI  ?  Remember,  some  have  lived 
anxious,  and  died  anxious.  Remember,  it  will  only  increase  your 
hell,  that  Christ  was  so  long  with  you,  and  you  would  not  know 
him.  Turn  to  Christ  now.  Let  not  another  year  begin  without 
knowing  Jesus. 

III.   Unawakened. 

1.  Christ  is  tvith  them.  In  one  sense,  he  is  not  with  them. 
They  are  without  Christ,  and  without  God  in  the  world.  In 
another  sense,  he  is  with  them  :  "  I  know  thy  works."  (1.)  He  is 
with  them  in  the  house  of  God.  It  is  wonderful  to  me  how  Christ 
persuades  so  many  Christless  people  to  come  to  the  house  of  God  ; 
I  never  could  explain  it.  Crowds  followed  Jesus ;  crowds  follow 
him  still.  Ques.  What  brings  you  to  the  house  of  God  ?  It  is 
the  constraining  grace  of  Christ.  Here  Christ  is  with  you.  Christ 
unlocks  his  treasure,  and  says :  "  Come,  buy,  without  money  and 
without  price."  (2.)  Christ  is  with  them  in  providences.  O  it  is 
wonderful  to  see  the  providences  of  unawakened  souls  i-  Every 
28  • 


434  SERMON    LXXIII. 

one  of  them  is  from  (he  hand  of  Christ:  "I  stand  at  the  door,  and 
knock."  In  the  year  now  past,  Christ  has  striven  with  you  in  his 
providence.  To  some  of  you  he  hath  come  once  and  again. 
Christ  is  with  you.  (3.)  With  them  in  their  sins.  Christ  is 
present  at  all  their  unholy  feasts,  unholy  jests,  desires,  engage- 
ments :  "  I  know  thy  works."  Do  you  ever  think,  when  you  are 
engaged  in  some  silly  game,  that  Christ  is  by  your  side  ?  He  sees 
the  smile  of  satisfaction  on  your  cheek,  but  he  sees  also  the  deluge 
of  wrath  that  is  over  your  soul.  He  sees  you  sporting  yourself 
with  your  owndeceivings ;  sitting  on  the  brink  of  hell,  yet  pleased 
with  a  rattle,  tickled  with  a  straw.  Ques.  What  does  he  say  ? 
He  says :  "  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  your  simpli- 
city ?"  and  again  :  "  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also." 

2.  So  long  time.  There  is  reason  to  think  that  Jesus  strives 
with  the  soul  from  its  earliest  years ;  that  he  strives  on  to  the  last. 
Some  good  men  have  thought  that  Christ  doth  sometimes  give 
over  striving,  and  leaves  the  soul  to  be  joined  to  its  idols ;  but 
perhaps  it  is  more  accordant  with  Scripture  to  say,  that  Jesus 
waits  all  the  day.  How  long  a  time  Christ  has  pleaded  with  some 
of  you  !  This  day  another  year  of  striving  with  you  is  finished. 
Think  of  this.     O  the  long-suffering  of  Christ  I 

3.  Not  known  me.  Ah  !  there  is  reason  to  think  that  many  of 
you  are  as  ignorant  of  Christ  as  the  day  I  began  my  ministry 
among  you ;  yea,  as  ignorant  as  the  day  you  were  born.  If  you 
knew  Christ,  it  would  break  your  heart  with  a  sense  of  sin ;  but 
your  heart  is  whole  within  you.  If  you  knew  Christ,  it  would 
drive  you  to  seek  an  interest  in  him,  but  you  seek  him  not.  Hark 
how  tenderly  the  Saviour  pleads  with  you  this  day:  "  Have  I 
been  so  long  time  wilh  you?"  O  it  will  be  one  of  the  greatest 
miseries  of  hell,  to  remember  how  often  Christ  was  with  you  in 
this  house  of  prayer,  in  your  providences,  aye,  in  your  sins ;  and 
you  would  not  look  at  him  !  to  remember  how  often  he  was  set 
forth  a  broken  Saviour  in  the  sacrament ;  preached  by  his  servants 
a  free  Saviour ;  how  often  he  bended  over  you,  and  wept  over 
you,  and  ye  would  have  none  of  him  ! 

O,  sirs,  I  fear  this  year  will  witness  against  you  in  the  judgment- 
day  !  I  fear  there  are  many  of  you  who  will  accuse  me  in  that 
day,  and  say  :  Why  did  you  not  speak  plainer,  louder,  oftener  1 
Why  did  you  not  knock  oftener  at  our  doors,  to  tell  us  and  our 
children  of  Christ,  the  way  of  glory  ?  ah  !  was  it  not  worth  more 
effort  to  save  us  from  an  eternal  hell  ?  Ah  !  dear  friends,  be  wise. 
Many  of  you  will  not  see  another  year  come  to  a  close.  If  there 
be  fifty — O  how  dreadful ! — you  may  be  among  that  fifty  ;  nay,  if 
there  be  forty,  thirty,  twenty,  ten,  still  you  may  be  among  the  ten. 
If  there  be  but  one,  you  may  be  that  one.  O  it  will  be  an  awful 
word  in  that  day:  "  I  was  a  long  time  with  you,  but  you  would 
not  know  me  !"     Amen. 

Dundee,  Dec' 21,  IQ'il. 


SERMON    LXXIV.  435 

SERMON  LXXIV. 

WHO  SHALL  SEPARATE  US  FROM  THE  LOVE  OP  CHRIST  ? 

"  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Shall  tribulation,  or  distress, 
or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  ?  As  it  is  written, 
For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long ;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the 
slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him 
that  loved  us." — Rom.  viii.,  35-37. 

In  this  passage  there  are  three  very  remarkable  questions:  1. 
"  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?"  Paul 
stands  forth  like  a  herald,  and  he  looks  up  to  the  holy  angels,  and 
down  to  the  accusing  devils,  and  round  about  on  a  scowling  world, 
and  into  conscience,  and  he  asks,  Who  can  accuse  one  whom  God 
has  chosen,  and  Christ  has  washed?  It  is  God  who  justifieth. 
The  holy  God  has  declared  believers  clean  every  whit.  2.  "  Who 
shall  condemn  ?"  Paul  looks  round  all  the  judges  of  the  world — 
all  who  are  skilled  in  law  and  equity ;  he  looks  up  to  the  holy 
angels,  whose  superhuman  sight  pierces  deep  and  far  into  the 
righteous  government  of  God  ■,  he  looks  up  to  God,  the  judge  of  all, 
who  must  do  right — whose  ways  are  equal  and  perfect  righteous- 
ness— and  he  asks.  Who  shall  condemn  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died. 
Christ  has  paid  the  uttermost  farthing  :  so  that  every  judge  must 
cry  out.  There  is  now  no  condemnation.  3.  "  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ  1"  Again,  he  looks  round  all  created 
worlds — he  looks  at  the  might  of  the  mightiest  archangels — the 
Satanic  power  of  legions  of  devils — the  rage  of  a  God-defying 
world — the  united  forces  of  all  created  things ;  and  when  he  sees 
sinners  folded  in  the  arms  of  .Tesus,  he  cries,  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Not  all  the  forces  of  ten  thousand 
woj'lds  combined,  for  Jesus  is  greater  than  all.  "  We  are  more 
than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us." 

The  love  of  Christ!  Paul  says:  "The  love  of  Christ  passeth 
knowledge."  It  is  like  the  blue  sky  into  which  you  may  see  clearly, 
but  the  real  vastness  of  which  you  cannot  measui-e.  It  is  like  the 
deep,  deep  sea,  into  whose  bosom  you  can  look  a  little  way,  but 
its  depths  are  unfathomable.  It  has  a  breadth  without  a  bound, 
length  without  end,  height  without  top,  and  depth  without  bottom. 
If  holy  Paul  said  this,  who  was  so  deeply  taught  in  divine  things — 
who  had  been  in  the  third  heaven,  and  seen  the  glorified  face  of 
Jesus — how  much  more  may  we,  poor  and  weak  believers,  look 
into  that  love  and  say  :  It  passeth  knowledge  ! 

There  are  three  things  in  these  words  :  1.  Explain  the  love  of 
Christ.  2.  Who  would  separate  us  from  it  ?  3.  They  shall  not 
be  able. 

I.  /  would  speak  of  the  love  of  Christ. 


436  SERMON    LXXIV. 

1.  When  it  began — in  the  past  eternity  :  "  Then  I  was  by  him 
as  one  brought  up  with  him  :  and  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing 
nlways  before  him  ;  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part  of  the  earth ; 
and  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men." — Prov.  viii.,  30,  31. 
This  river  of  love  began  to  flow  before  the  world  was — from  ever- 
lasting, from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the  earth  was.  Christ's  love 
to  us  is  as  old  as  the  Father's  love  to  the  Son.  This  river  of  light 
began  to  stream  from  Jesus  towards  us  before  the  beams  poured 
from  the  sun  ;  before  the  rivers  flowed  to  the  ocean ;  before  angel 
loved  angel,  or  man  loved  man;  before  creatures  were,  Christ 
loved  us.  This  is  a  great  deep,  who  can  fathom  it  ?  This  love 
passeth  knowledge. 

2.  And  who  was  it  that  loved?  It  was  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God, 
the  second  person  of  the  blessed  Godhead.  His  name  is  "  Won- 
derful, Counsellor,  The  Mighty  God,  The  Everlasting  Father,  The 
Piincc  of  Peace,"  "  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,"  Immanuel, 
and  Jesus  the  Saviour,  the  only  begotten  of  his  Father.  His 
beauty  is  perfect :  he  is  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and 
the  express  image  of  his  person.  All  the  purity,  majesty,  and  love 
of  Jehovah,  dwell  fully  in  him.  He  is  the  bright  and  morning  Star: 
he  is  the  vSun  of  righteousness  and  the  Light  of  the  world  ;  he  is 
the  Rose  of  Sharon  and  the  Lily  of  the  valleys — fairer  than  the 
children  of  men.  His  riches  are  infinite  ;  he  could  say,  ''  All  that 
the  Father  hath  is  mine."  He  is  Lord  of  all.  All  the  crowns  in 
heaven  were  cast  at  his  feet ;  all  angels  and  seraphs  were  his  ser- 
vants ;  all  worlds  his  domain.  His  doings  were  infinitely  glori- 
ous. By  him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven  and  that 
are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible.  He  called  thfe  things  that  are 
not  as  though  they  were ;  worlds  started  into  being  at  his  word. 
Y'el  he  loved  us.  It  is  much  to  be  loved  by  one  greater  in  rank 
than  ourselves — to  be  loved  by  an  angel  ;  but  O,  to  be  loved  by 
the  Son  of  God  !  this  is  wonderful ;  it  passeth  knowledge. 

3.  Whom  did  he  love  ?  He  loved  us  !  He  came  into  the 
world  "  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  the  chief."  Had  he  loved 
one  as  glorious  as  himself,  we  would  not  have  wondered.  Had 
he  loved  the  holy  angels,  that  reflected  his  pure,  bright  image,  we 
would  not  have  wondered.  Had  he  loved  the  lovely  among  the 
sons  of  men — the  amiable,  the  gentle,  the  kind,  the  rich,  the  great, 
the  noble — it  would  not  have  been  so  great  a  wonder.  But,  ah  ! 
he  loved  sinners,  the  vilest  sinners,  the  poorest,  meanest,  guiltiest 
wretches  that  crawl  upon  the  ground.  Manasseh,  who  murdered 
his  own  children,  was  one  whom  he  loved  ;  Zaccheus,  the  grey- 
haired  swindler,  was  another  ;  blaspheming  Paul  was  a  third  ;  the 
wanton  of  Samaria  was  another ;  the  dying  thief  was  another ; 
and  the  lascivious  Corinthians  were  more.  "  And  such  were 
some  of  you."  We  were  black  as  hell  when  he  looked  on  us  ;  we 
were  hell-worthy,  under  his  Father's  wrath  and  curse  ;  and  ye 


SERMON     LXXIV.  437 

he  loved  us,  and  said  :  I  will  die  for  them.  "  Thou  hast  loved  me 
out  of  the  pit  of  corruption,"  each  saved  one  can  say.  Oh,  bre- 
thren !  this  is  strange  love  :  he  that  was  so  great,  and  lovely,  and 
pure,  chose  us,  who  were  mean  and  filthy  with  sin,  that  he  might 
wash  and  purify,  and  present  us  to  himself.  This  love  passeth 
knowledge  ! 

4.  What  this  love  cost  him.  When  Jacob  loved  Rachel,  he 
served  seven  years  for  her ;  he  bore  the  summer's  heat  and  win- 
ter's cold.  But  Jesus  bore  the  hot  wrath  of  God,  and  the  winter 
blast  of  his  Father's  anger,  for  those  he  loved.  Jonathan  loved 
David  with  more  than  the  love  of  women,  and  for  his  sake  he 
bore  the  cruel  anger  of  his  father,  Saul.  But  Jesus,  out  of  love 
to  us,  bore  the  wrath  of  his  Father  poured  out  without  mixture. 
It  was  the  love  of  Christ  that  made  him  leave  the  love  of  his 
Father,  the  adoration  of  angels,  and  the  throne  of  glory ;  it  was 
love  that  made  him  not  despise  the  Virgin's  womb  ;  it  was  love 
that  brought  him  to  the  manger  at  Bethlehem  ;  it  was  love  that 
drove  him  into  the  wilderness  ;  love  made  him  a  man  of  sorrows  ; 
love  made  him  hungry,  and  thirsty,,  and  weary  ;  love  made  hkn 
hasten  to  Jerusalem  ;  love  led  him  to  gloomy,  dark  Gethsemane  ; 
love  bound  and  dragged  him  to  the  judgment  hall ;  love  nailed 
him  to  the  cross ;  love  bowed  his  head  beneath  the  amazing  load 
of  his  Father's  anger.  "  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this."  "  I 
am  the  good  Shepherd  ;  the  good  Shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the 
sheep." 

Sinners  were  sinking  beneath  the  red-hot  flames  of  hell  ;  he 
plunged  in  and  swam  through  the  awful  surge,  and  gathered  his 
own  into  his  bosom.  The  sword  of  justice  was  bare  and  glitter- 
ing, ready  to  destroy  us  ;  He,  the  man  that  was  God's  fellow, 
opened  his  bosom  and  let  the  stroke  fall  on  him.  We  were  set  up 
as  a  mark  for  God's  arrows  of  vengeance  ;  Jesus  came  between, 
and  they  pierced  him  through  and  through  ;  every  arrow  that 
should  have  pierced  our  souls,  stuck  fast  in  him.  He,  his  own 
self,  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  As  far  as  east  is 
from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  removed  our  transgressions  from 
us.  This  is  the  love  of  Christ  that  passeth  knowledge.  This  is 
what  is  set  before  you  to-day  in  the  broken  bread  and  poured-out 
wine.  This  is  what  we  shall  see  on  the  throne — a  Lamb  as  it  had 
been  slain.  This  will  be  the  matter  of  our  song  through  eternity : 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  !" 

L  O  the  joy  of  being  in  the  love  of  Christ!  Are  you  in  this 
amazing  love  ?  Has  he  loved  you  out  of  the  pit  of  corruption  ? 
Then,  he  will  wash  you,  and  make  you  a  king  and  a  priest  unto 
God.  He  will  wash  you  in  his  own  blood  whiter  than  the  snow ; 
he  will  cleanse  you  from  all  your  filthiness  and  from  all  your 
idols.  A  new  heart  also  will  he  give  you.  He  will  keep  your 
conscience  clean,  and  your  heart  right  with  God.  He  will  put 
his  Holy  Spirit  within  you,  and  make  you  pray  with  groanings 


438  SERMON     LXXIV. 

that  cannot  be  uttered.  He  will  justify  you,  he  will  pray  for 
you,  he  will  glorify  you.  All  the  world  may  oppose  you — dear 
friends  may  die  and  forsake  you  ;  you  may  be  left  alone  in  the 
wilderness  ;  still  you  will  not  be  alone  ;  Christ  will  love  you  still. 

2,  O  the  mise7y  of  being  out  of  the  love  of  Christ !  If  Christ  loves 
you  not,  how  vain  all  other  loves  !  Your  friends  may  love  you, 
your  neighbors  may  be  kind  to  you  ;  the  world  may  praise  you — 
ministers  may  love  your  souls  ;  but,  if  Christ  love  you  not,  all 
creature-love  will  be  vain.  You  will  be  unwashed,  unpardoned, 
unholy  ;  you  will  sink  into  hell,  and  all  the  creatures  will  stand 
around  and  be  unable  to  reach  out  a  hand  to  help  you. 

3.  How  shall  I  know  that  I  am  in  the  love  of  Christ  ?  By  your 
being  drawn  to  Christ :  "  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting 
love,  therefore  with  loving-kindnftss  have  I  drawn  thee."  Have 
you  seen  something  attractive  in  Jesus  ?  The  world  are  attracted 
by  beauty,  or  dress,  or  glittering  jewels  ;  have  you  been  attracted 
to  Christ  by  his  good  ointments  i  This  is  the  mark  of  all  who  are 
graven  on  Christ's  heart — they  come  to  him  ;  they  see  Jesus  to 
be  precious.  The  easy  world  see  no  preciousness  in  Christ ;  they 
prize  a  lust  higher,  the  smile  of  the  world  higher,  money  higher, 
pleasure  higher  ;  but  those  whom  Christ  loves  he  draws  after  him 
by  the  sight  of  his  preciousness.  Have  you  thus  followed  him, 
prized  him — as  a  drowning  sinner  cleaved  to  him  ? — then  he  will 
in  no  wise  cast  you  out — in  no  wise,  not  for  all  you  have  done 
against  him.  "  But  I  spent  my  best  days  in  sin" — Still  I  will  in 
no  wise  cast  you  out.  "  I  lived  in  open  sin" — I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  you  out.  "  But  I  have  sinned  against  light  and  conviction" 
— Still  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  you  out.  "  But  I  am  a  backslider" 
-^still  the  arms  of  his  love  are  open  to  enfold  your  poor  guilty  soul, 
and  he  will  not  cast  you  out. 

II.  Many  would  separate  us. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  world  it  has  been  the  great  aim  of 
Satan  to  separate  believers  from  the  love  of  Christ ;  and  though 
he  never  has  succeeded  in  the  case  of  a  single  soul,  yet  still  he 
tries  it  as  eagerly  as  he  did  at  first.  The  moment  he  sees  the 
Saviour  lift  a  lost  sheep  upon  his  shoulder,  from  that  hour  he 
plies  all  his  efforts  to  pluck  down  the  poor  saved  sheep  from  its 
place  of  rest.  The  moment  the  pierced  hand  of  Jesus  is  laid  on 
a  poor,  trembling,  guilty  sinner,  from  that  hour  does  Satan  try  to 
pluck  him  out  of  Jesus's  hand. 

1.  He  did  this  in  old  times:  "As  it  is  written,  For  thy  sake 
we  are  killed  all  the  day  long ;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the 
slaughter." — Verse  3G.  This  is  a  cry  taken  from  the  book  of 
Psalms.  God's  people  in  all  ages  have  been  hated  and  persecuted 
by  Satan  and  the  world.  Observe  tlie  reason :  "  For  thy  sake  " 
— because  ihey  were  like  Jesus,  and  belonged  to  Jesus.  The 
time :  "  All  day  long  " — from  morning  till  night.     The  world  have 


SERMON    LXXIV  439 

a  perpetual  hatred  against  true  believers,  so  that  we  have  to  say 
at  evening  :  •'  Would  God  it  were  nnorning  ;  and  at  morning, 
Would  God  it  were  evening,"  They  have  no  other  perpetual 
hatred.  The  manner:  "We  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the 
slaughter."  The  world  care  no  more  for  ill-treating  a  Christian 
than  the  butcher  docs  when  he  lays  hold  of  a  sheep  for  the  slaugh- 
ter. The  drunkards  make  a  song  of  us.  Such  was  the  cry  of 
believers  of  old.  The  same  cry  has  been  heard  amid  the  snowy 
heights  of  Piedmont :  and,  in  later  days,  amid  the  green  hills  and 
vallevs  of  Scotland.  And  we  are  miserably  deceived  if  we  flatter 
ourselves  that  the  same  cry  will  not  be  heard  again.  Is  the  devil 
changed  ?  Does  he  love  Christ  and  his  dear  people  any  better  ? 
Is  the  worldly  heart  changed  ?  Does  it  hate  God  and  God's  peo- 
ple any  less  than  it  did  ?  Ah  !  no.  I  have  a  deep  conviction  that, 
if  God' only  withdraw  his  restraining  grace,  the  flood-gates  of  per- 
secution will  soon  break  loose  again  ;  and  many  of  you,  left  un- 
converted under  our  ministry,  will  turn  out  bloody  persecutors — 
you  will  yet  avenge  yourselves  for  the  sermons  that  have  pricked 
your  hearts. 

2.  Tlie  apostle  names  seven  forms  in  which  trouble  comes.  Two 
of  them  relate  to  the  troubles  that  are  common  to  man,  and  five  to 
those  that  are  more  peculiar  to  the  children  of  God. 

(1.)  Tribulation  and  distress  :  "  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman 
is  of  a  few  days,  and  full  of  trouble.  He  cometh  forth  as  a  flower, 
and  is  cut  down  ;  he  flecth  also  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not." 
God's  children  are  not  freed  from  distresses:  sickness,  poverty, 
loss  of  friends.  Jesus  said  to  them:  "In  the  world  ye  shall  have 
tribulation."  "  Whom  I  love  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  Now,  Satan 
tries  to  take  advantage  of  these  times  of  tribulation,  to  separate 
the  soul  from  the  love  of  Christ ;  he  tempts  the  believer  to  despise 
the  chastening  of  the  Lord  ;  to  plunge  into  business,  or  among 
worldly  friends,  or  to  follow  worldly  means  of  soothing  sorrow. 
Again :  he  tries  to  make  the  soul  faint  under  them ;  repine  and 
murmur,  and  charge  God  foolishly;  not  believe  his  love  and  wis- 
dom in  the  furnace.  In  these  ways  Satan  tries  to  separate  from 
the  love  of  Christ.     A  time  of  tribulation  is  a  time  of  danger. 

(2.)  Persecution,  famine,  nakedness,  peril,  sword — all  these  are 
the  weapons  Satan  stirs  up  against  God's  children.  The  history 
of  the  Church  in  all  ages  has  been  a  history  of  persecution.  No 
sooner  does  a  soul  begin  to  show  concern  for  religion  ;  no  sooner 
does  that  soul  cleave  to  Jesus,  than  the  wot^ld  talk,  to  the  grief  of 
those  whom  God  hath  wounded.  What  bitter  words  are  hurled 
against  that  soul !  In  all  ages  this  has  been  true :  "  They  wan- 
dered about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins,  being  destitute,  afflicted, 
tormented  ;  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy."  Those  that 
eat  the  bread  of  God  have  often  been  driven  from  their  quiet  meal ; 
those  who  are  clothed  with  Christ  have  often  had  to  part  with 
worldly  clothing,  and  have  been  exposed  to  famine,  nakedness, 


440  SERMON    LXXIV. 

peril,  and  sword — the  last  extremity.  Cain  murdered  Abel.  They 
killed  the  Prince  of  Life  ;  and  so  all  his  creatures  ever  since  have 
been  exposed  to  the  same.  Do  not  say,  The  times  are  changed, 
and  these  are  not  the  days  of  toleration.  Christ  is  not  changed, 
Satan  is  not  changed,  and,  when  it  suits  his  turn,  he  will  use  the 
same  weapons. 

III.  All  these  cannot  separate  us. 

"  In  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors,  through  him 
that  loved  us." 

How  are  we  more  than  conquerors  ? 

1.  TVe  conquer  even  before  the  battle  is  done.  In  all  other  bat- 
tles we  do  not  know  how  the  victory  is  to  turn  until  the  battle  is 
won.  In  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  it  was  long  thought  that  the 
French  had  gained ;  and  Napoleon  sent  several  despatches  to 
Paris,  declaring  that  he  had  won.  But  in  the  fight  with  the  world, 
Satan,  and  the  flesh,  we  know  how  the  victory  is  to  turn  already. 
Christ  has  engaged  to  carry  us  through.  He  will  guard  us 
against  the  darts  of  the  law,  by  hiding  us  in  his  blood.  He 
defends  us  from  the  power  of  sin  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  put  within 
us.  He  will  keep  us,  in  the  secret  of  his  presence,  from  the  strife 
of  tongues.  The  thicker  the  battle,  the  closer  will  he  keep  to  us  ; 
so  that  we  can  sing  already  :  "  I  thank  God,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord."  We  know  that  we  shall  overcome.  Though  the 
world  were  a  million  times  more  enraged ;  though  the  fires  of 
persecution  were  again  to  be  kindled  ;  though  my  heart  were  a 
million  times  more  wicked  ;  though  all  the  temptations  of  hell 
were  let  loose  upon  me  ;  I  know  I  shall  overcome  through  him 
that  loved  me.  When  Paul  and  Silas  sang  m  the  low  dungeon, 
they  were  more  than  conquerors.  When  Paul  sang,  spite  of  his 
thorn,  "  I  will  glory  in  my  infirmities,"  he  was  more  than  a  con- 
queror. 

2.  We  gain  by  our  conflict.  Often  a  victory  is  a  loss.  So  it 
was  in  that  battle  in  Israel,  after  the  dark  night  in  Gibeah.  All 
Israel  mourned,  for  a  tribe  was  nearly  cut  oft"  out  of  Israel ;  and 
so,  in  most  victories,  the  song  of  triumph  is  mingled  with  the  sob- 
bings of  the  widow  and  orphan.  Not  so  in  the  good  fight  of  faith. 
We  are  more  than  conquerors.  We  gain  by  our  enemies.  (L) 
We  cling  closer  to  Christ.  Every  wave  of  trouble  for  Christ's 
sake  lifts  the  soul  higher  upon  the  Rock.  Every  arrow  of  bitter- 
ness shot  after  the  believer  makes  him  hide  more  in  the  clefts 
of  Jesus.  Be  content,  dear  friend,  to  bear  these  troubles, 
which  make  you  cling  closer  to  your  Beloved.  (2.)  They  shake 
us  loose  from  sin.  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love 
its  own.  If  the  world  smiled  and  fawned  upon  you,  you  would 
He  on  its  lap.  But  when  it  frowns,  then  Jesus  is  our  all.  (3.) 
Great  is  your  reward  in  heaven.  We  gain  a  brighter  crown.  Be 
not  afraid.;  nothing  shall  ever  separate  you  from  the  love  of  Christ. 


SERMON   LXXV.  441 

O  that  I  could  know  that  you  were  all  in  Christ's  love — that  the 
arms  of  Jesus  were  infolding  you ;  then  I  would  know  that  all 
the  hatred  of  men,  and  all  the  policy  of  hell,  would  never  prevail 
against  you  !  "  If  God  be  for  you,  who  can  be  against  you  ?" 
If  God  has  chosen  you,  called  you,  washed  you,  justified  you,  then 
he  will  glorify  you.  O  yield  to  his  loving  hands,  you  that  are  not 
far  from  the  kingdom  of  God  !  Let  him  wash  you,  for  then  he  will 
carry  you  to  glory.  Amen. 
Dundee,  Oct.  30,  1841.— (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON  LXXV. 

MAN    THAT    IS    BORN    OF    A    WOMAN. 

*"  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days,  and  full  of  trouble.  He  cometh  forth 
like  a  flower,  and  is  cut  down  :  he  fleeth  also  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not." 
— Job  xiv.,  1,  2. 

Three  things  are  taught  us  in  these  words. 

1.  The  beauty  of  man:  "  He  cometh  forth  like  a  flower." — 
Verse  2.  There  is  something  beautiful  about  man.  He  was 
made  at  first  in  the  image  of  God  ;  and  though  sin  has  blighted 
and  defaced  that  image,  yet  there  are  the  traces  of  God's  work- 
manship to  be  seen  in  man  still.  His  body  is  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made  ;  and  the  soul,  though  wholly  averse  from  God  by 
nature,  is  yet  a  lost -piece  of  silver.  2.  He  is  shorL-lived  :  "  Of  few 
days — he  cometh  forth  like  a  flower."  When  Pharaoh  asked 
Jacob  how  old  he  was,  although  he  was  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  old,  he  said  :  "  Few  and  evil  have  the  days  of  the  years  of 
my  life  been," — {e\v,  compared  with  the  life  of  other  men.  Some 
of  the  patriarchs  lived  nine  hundred  years  ;  Methuselah  nine  hun- 
dred and  sixty-nine.  How  few  are  our  days  compai-ed  with 
this  !  few,  compared  to  eternity — few,  when  we  think  of  the  work 
to  be  done.  3.  Full  of  trouble.  If  his  few  days  were  all  full  of 
joy,  it  would  not  be  so  sad  a  case,  but  they  are  full  of  trouble ; 
and  those  that  are  most  anxious  for  worldly  pleasure  generally 
have  deepest  troubles.  Troubles  of  the  body,  and  of  the  mind, 
and  of  the  estate,  come  upon  the  back  of  one  another  like  wave 
upon  wave. 

We  have  had  solemn  experience  of  these  truths  within  these  few 
days.  There  have  been  five  solemn  deaths,  all  connected  with 
our  parish,  and,  taken  together,  they  form  a  practical  commentary 
on  these  words.  1.  Two  children  died,  both  lovely  and  pleasant 
in  their  lives,  and  in  their  death  not  far  divided.  They  were  full 
of  promise,  and  their  fond  relatives  looked  forward  to  their  being 


442  SERMON    LXXV. 

a  joy  and  comfort  to  them.  They  came  forth  like  a  flower,  and 
were  cut  down.  2.  A  young  man  in  his  prime.  He  had  reached 
the  vigor  of  manhood,  and  thought  to  see  many  good  days  in  the 
land  of  the  Uving ;  but  God  changed  his  countenance,  and  he  has 
passed  away.  3.  Another  was  the  blooming  mother  of  eight 
blooming  children,  beloved  and  admired  by  all  around  her,  'with 
■  all  this  world  could  give  to  make  her  happy  ;  but  the  cry  came  at 
midnight.  She  came  forth  like  a  flower,  and  was  cut  down.  4. 
The  last  was  an  aged  man,  called  upon,  after  long  forbearance,  to 
give  in  his  account.  How  solemn  the  lesson  !  The  child — the 
young  man — the  mother — the  hoary  head — are  all  laid  low  this 
day  !     "  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days." 

1.  Learn  the  need  of  immediate  conversion.  Some  of  you  are 
angry  that  I  speak  so  much  of  conversion  ;  but,  ah  !  when  I  stand 
beside  these  open  graves,  lam  ashamed  of  myself  for  speaking  so 
little.  "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  "  Repent, 
and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out." 

Children,  seek  conversion  now,  for  little  children  die.  These 
new-made  graves  are  less  than  yours  would  be.  Young  men, 
seek  conversion  now,  for  young  men  die — they  are  cut  down  in 
their  prime.  Mothers,  do  not  say  you  will  seek  conversion  after- 
wards, when  your  family  are  grown,  and  you  have  more  leisure ; 
seek  it  now,  for  mothers  die.  Old  men,  do  not  say  this  is  nothing 
to  you.  Others  may  die,  but  you  must  die  ;  and  therefore  the 
lesson  comes  doubly  home  to  you  :  Seek  conversion  now. 

2.  Learn  the  folly  of  living  in  pleasure.  There  is  no  net  by 
which  the  devil  catches  more  souls  than  the  silken  one  of  worldly 
pleasure.  It  is  common  for  woildly  people  to  take  it  for  granted 
that  there  is  no  harm  in  these  things.  Children  are  fond  of 
games  ;  young  people  delight  in  dances,  and  songs,  and  laughter ; 
coarser  spirits  love  the  glass,  and  the  glee,  and  the  coarse  debauch; 
more  polished  circles  love  the  ball,  and  the  concert,  and  the  play; 
and  old  withered  dames,  and  swearing  captains,  tottering  on  the 
brink  of  eternity,  could  hardly  sleep  at  night  without  their  hand  at 
whist.  Where  is  the  harm  ?  Sit  down  upon  yon  grave,  and  ask 
the  dead.  Are  you  not  Christless  ;  unpardoned  ;  unholy;  on  the 
road  to  hell.  Are  your  days  not  numbered  ?  May  you  not  be 
cut  down  this  night?  Where  would  you  be  if  you  were  hurried 
away  from  the  dance,  or  the  play,  or  the  card-table,  to  the  pre- 
sence of  your  Judge  ?  "  Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth  ; 
and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in 
the  ways  of  thine  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes :  but  know 
thou  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." 
"  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ;  take  thine 
case,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool, 
this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  :  then  whose  shall 
those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided  ?"      "  She  that  liveth  in 


SERMON    LXXV.  443 

pleasure  is  dead  while  she  liveth."     This  is  the  time  for  seeking 
conversion. 

Are  we  to  have  no  pleasure,  then  ?  Yes,  in  Christ — holy 
pleasures,  such  as  are  at  God's  right  hand  for  evermore.  Ah  !  I 
have  tasted  all  the  pleasures  of  time,  and  they  are  not  worth  one 
drop  of  Christ's  sweet  love. 

3.  Learn  to  seek  one  another's  souls.  Ah  !  there  is  no  place  for 
teaching  ministers  how  to  speak  like  the  death-bed.  I  often  feel 
that  I  have  never  preached  at  all,  when  I  look  upon  the  faces  of 
the  dying  !  O  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  go  out  and  in  among  you 
more  faithfully ;  that  I  may  speak  more  boldly,  and  nat  fear  your 
anger  or  reproaches  !  You  wnll  not  be  angry  with  me  when  you 
are  dead.     You  will  not  say  T  preached  too  plainly  then. 

Brethren  in  the  eldership  !  Come  and  help  me  in  this.  You 
see  our  people  are  dying  ;  hundreds  are  now  in  eternity  who  were 
once  under  your  care  and  mine. 

Dear  teachers !  Teach  the  children  plainly,  for  children  die. 
Do  not  mind  their  impatience  and  waywardness.  Remember  they 
are  dying  children — Death's  mark  is  on  them.  The  forester  puts 
a  mark  round  the  trees  that  are  to  be  cut  down.  Every  child  has 
got  Death's  mark. 

Parents  !  Seek  your  children's  souls  from  infancy.  Pray  for 
them  before  they  are  born.  Travail  in  birth  with  them  till  Christ 
be  formed  in  them.  Do  not  say  they  are  too  young,  and  cannot 
understand.     God  can  teach  babes. 

O  if  you  neglect  this,  will  you  not  regret  it  when  the  green  sod 
lies  on  their  breast  ? 

4.  Learn  how  unable  yoit  are  to  bear  the  wrath  of  God.  In  the 
time  of  health  and  strength,  it  is  common  for  men  to  boast  against 
God.  They  are  not  in  trouble  as  other  men,  neither  are  they 
plagued  like  other  men :  therefore  pride  compasseth  them  about 
as  a  chain.  They  can  sin  with  a  high  hand.  But  when  they  are 
brought  to  the  brink  of  the  grave  by  fever  or  wasting  consump- 
tion ;  when  they  need  some  one  to  turn  them  on  their  bed,  or  to 
hold  up  their  fainting  head,  or  to  feed  them  with  a  spoon  like  a 
child  ;  then  we  see  that  a  sinner  is  nothing  in  the  hands  o{  an  angry 
God.  And  O  what  will  it  be  in  eternity,  when  he  falls  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God  !  Perhaps  he  doubted  whether  there  was 
a  God  ;  but  all  of  a  sudden  he  sees  there  is  a  God.  He  thought 
there  was  no  Christ — in  a  moment  he  meets  his  holy  eye.  He 
thought  there  was  no  hell,  and  laughed  at  those  who  believed  it — 
in  a  moment  he  is  tossing  among  its  fiery  waves ;  and  now  he 
feels  it  must  be  eternal.  After  a  thousand  years  it  is  but  begin- 
ning, and  no  nearer  an  end.  The  soul  will  sink  into  insupportable 
gloom  ;  it  will  wish  to  die,  and  not  be  able.  "  What  -if  God, 
willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known,  endured 
with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath,  fitted  to  destruc- 
tion ?"    O  brethren,  fiee  from  the  wrath  to  come !     You  cannot 


444  SERMON    LXXVI. 

bear  it.  Can  you  bear  a  fever,  or  the  stroke  of  palsy,  or  a  stroke 
of  lightning,  or  wasting  consumption  ?  and  these  are  but  the  little 
finger  of  God's  anger. 

5.  Learn  the  preciousness  of  Jesus.  •'  Man  is  of  few  days,"  but 
"  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever."  How 
amazing  the  love  of  Christ,  that  he  died  for  us — such  poor,  weak 
flowers,  and  worms  of  a  day  !  How  safe  we  are  in  Jesus  ! 
Although  we  are  nothing — fleeing  like  a  shadow — yet  in  him  we 
abide  for  ever.  Our  very  dust  is  precious  dust  to  him.  Body  and 
soul  he  will  bring  with  him,  and  we  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 
O  you  that  are  in  Christ,  prize  him  !  You  that  are  in  doubt,  solve 
it  now  by  running  to  him.  You  that  are  out  of  him,  choose  him 
now. 

Dundee,  February  20,  1S42. 


SERMON  LXXVI. 

CHRIST,    A    LAW-MAGNIFYING    SAVIOUR. 

"  Hear,  ye  deaf;  and  look,  ye  blind,  that  ye  may  see.  Who  is  blind,  but  my  ser- 
vant ?  or  deaf,  as  my  messenger  that  I  sent  ?  who  is  blind  as  he  that  is  perfect, 
and  blind  as  the  Lord's  servant?  Seeing  many  things,  but  thou  observest  not ; 
opening  the  ears,  but  he  heareth  not.  The  Lord  is  well-pleased  for  his  righteous- 
ness' sake ;  he  will  magnify  the  law,  and  make  it  honorable." — Isa.  xlii.,  lS-21. 

I.  77^6  7iame  here  given  to  sinners :  "  Hear,  ye  deaf;  and  look, 
ye  blind,  that  ye  may  see." — Verse  18.  These  words  are  applied 
here,  first  to  idolaters,  but  they  are  equally  applicable  to  all  uncon- 
verted men.  All  of  you  who  are  unconverted  are  natiu"ally  deaf. 
You  do  not  hear  the  voice  of  Providence.  Mercies  and  afflictions 
come  knocking  at  your  door,  but  you  hear  them  not.  You  do 
not  hear  the  voice  of  Christ.  It  is  like  the  sound  of  many  waters, 
yet  you  are  deaf,  you  hear  not  its  warnings  and  invitations.  You 
do  not  hear  the  voice  of  pastors.  They  are  watchmen  to  blow 
the  trumpet,  and  warn  the  people,  they  have  the  tongue  of  the 
learned  :  but  you  are  "like  the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  her  ear; 
which  will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  charmers,  charming  never 
so  wisely." — Ps.  Iviii. 

Blind. — This  word  is  constantly  used  in  the  Bible  to  describe 
the  stupidity  of  unconverted  souls.  Unconverted  ministers  are 
called  "Blind  leaders  of  the  blind." — Matt,  xv.,  14.  Jesus  once 
said  to  a  Pharisee,  "  Thou  blind  Pharisee." — Matt,  xxii.,  26. 
And  again,  "Ye  fools  and  blind." — Matt,  xxiii.,  17.  "  Thou  know- 
est  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind." 
— Rev.  iii.,  17. 

This  is  the  true  state  of  every  unconverted  soul.     You  do  not 


SERMON    LXXVI.  445 

see  your  own  soul ;  its  depravity,  its  guilt,  its  lost  and  ruined  con- 
dition. You  do  not  sec  the  Sun,  the  glorious  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness, his  beauty,  his  glory,  his  excellency :  "  No  beauty  that  we 
should  desire  hi-m."  You  do  not  see  your  way.  You  know  not 
at  what  you  stumble.  Your  path  leads  into  hell,  but  you  do  not 
see  it,  nor  believe  it. 

Hear,  ye  deaf ;  and  look,  ye  blind.  Those  of  you  who  are  deaf 
and  blind  are  generally  the  least  attentive  in  the  congregation. 
You  say,  The  minister  has  nothing  for  me ;  and  so  you  thmk  of 
something  else  to  amuse  your  mind.  But  observe,  God  does  here 
speak  to  you:  "Hear,  ye  deaf;  and  look,  ye  blind."  Those  of 
you  who  are  careless,  stupid,  blind,  carnal  ones,  are  the  ones  that 
should  attend,  for  God  calls  upon  you.  When  will  you  listen,  if 
not  when  God  is  calling  upon  you  1 

But  you  say.  This  is  a  contradiction ;  "  If  I  am  deaf,  how  can  I 
hear?  If  I  am  blind,  how  can  I  look?"  Ans.  Leave  God  to  settle 
that  difficulty.  Only  listen  and  look  up.  There  is  truly  no  diffi- 
culty about  it.  He  told  Ezekiel  to  preach  to  dry  bones :  "  O  ye 
dry  bones  !  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  John  to  preach  to 
men  like  the  stones  of  Jordan.  It  is  while  we  are  speaking,  and 
through  the  very  words  we  speak,  that  God  gives  life,  and  hearing, 
and  eye-sight.  Only  turn  your  deaf  ears  towards  God,  and  your 
blind  eye-balls  towards  Jesus.  Who  can  tell  but  some  deaf  and 
blind  soul  may  now,  for  the  first  time,  be  looking  up  to  Jesus  ? 

II.  The  object  pointed  to  :  "  Who  is  blind,  but  my  servant?  or 
deaf,  as  my  messenger  that  I  sent?  who  is  blind  as  he  that  is  per- 
fect, and  blind  as  the  Lord's  servant  ?  Seeing  many  things,  but 
thou  observest  not:  opening  the  ears,  but  he  hearoth  not" — 
Verses  19,  20.     Every  expression  here  evidently  points  to  Christ. 

L  My  servant. — This  name  is  constantly  given  to  Christ:  '^Be- 
hold my  servant." — Verse  1.  "Behold,  my  servant  shall  deal  pru- 
dently, he  shall  be  exalted  and  extolled,  and  be  very  high." — Isa. 
Hi.,  13.  "By  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify 
many." — Isa.  liii.,  11.  "I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth."  — 
Luke  xxii.,  27.  He  took  a  towel  and  girded  himself.  "  He  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant," — Phil,  ii.,  7.  The  reason  why, 
is,  that  he  came  not  to  do  his  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  him. 

2.  My  messenger. — This  name  is  also  applied  to  Christ :  "  If 
there  be  a  messenger  with  him,  an  interpreter,  one  among  a  thou- 
sand."— Job  xxxiii.,  23.  And  again:  "  The  Lord  whom  ye  seek 
shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  even  the  messenger  of  the 
covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in." — Mai.  iii.,  1.  He  is  so  called 
because  God  sent  him.  He  came  from  God,  with  a  message  of 
eteinal  life  to  sinners. 

3.  He  that  is  perfect. — "  He  is  the  Rock ;  his  way  is  perfect." 
As  for  God,  his  way  is  perfect.     It  is  only  of.  Christ  that  these 


446  SERMON    LXXVI. 

words  are  fully  true.  He  did  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in 
his  mouth.  He  knew  no  sin.  He  was  the  holy  child  Jesus,  the 
perfect  one,  perfect  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  perfect  in  the  eyes  of 
his  Father,  perfect  in  the  eyes  of  his  Church.,  "Such  an  high 
priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from 
sinners." 

4.  Blind  and  deaf :  "Who  is  blind  as  my  servant,  and  deaf  as 
my  messenger  ?"  Also  verse  20  :  "  Seeing  many  things,  but  thou 
observest  not ;  opening  the  ears,  but  he  hcareth  not."  This  de- 
scribes the  way  in  which  he  went  through  his  work  in  this  world. 
Same  as  verse  2  :  "He  shall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor  cause  his 
voice  to  be  heard  in  the  streets."  Same  as  Ps.  xxxviii.,  13, 14  :  "  But 
I  as  a  deaf  man  heard  not,  and  I  was  as  a  dumb  man  that  openeth 
not  his  mouth.  Thus  I  was  as  a  man  that  heareth  not,  and  in 
whose  mouth  are  no  reproofs."  Also  Isa.  liii.,  7  :  "  He  was  op- 
pressed and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth  :  he  is 
brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her 
shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth  not  his  mouth."  He  was  blind  to 
the  vileness  of  sinners.  He  saw,  and  yet  he  did  not  see.  Surely, 
if  he  had  looked  at  the  black  hearts  of  those  for  whom  he  died,  he 
could  not  have  died  for  them.  Surely  if  he  had  looked  only  at 
one  sin,  he  could  not  have  but  cast  us  away,  or  gone  back  to  his 
Father's  bosom.     "  But  who  is  blind  as  my  servant  ?" 

He  was  blind  to  his  own  sufferings.  He  hasted  to  Jerusalem, 
as  if  he  did  not  see  the  cross  before  him.  He  saw  it,  but  observed 
not.  He  lay  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  as  if  he  did  not  see  the 
lanterns  and  torches  of  those  that  were  coming  to  take  him. 
"Who  is  blind  as  my  servant  ?" 

He  loas  deaf.  He  seemed  not  to  hear  their  plotting  against  him, 
nor  their  accusations,  for  he  answered  not  a  word.  "  Pilate  said 
to  him,  Hearest  thou  not  how  many  things  they  witness  against 
thee  ?  and  he  answered  him  to  never  a  word,  insomuch  that  the 
governor  marvelled  greatly." — Matt,  xxvii.,  13,  14.  It  is  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  patiently  enduring  all  for  us  that  you  are  bid  to  listen 
and  to  look.  Consider  him,  study  him.  We  have  learned  but 
little  of  Christ  yet,  brethren  ;  and  you  who  are  Christless  know 
him  not  at  all. 

III.  The  work  of  Christ :  "  He  will  magnify  the  law,  and  make 
it  honorable." — Verse  21.  This  is  in  some  respects  the  most 
wonderful  description  of  the  work  of  Christ  given  in  the  whole 
Bible.  He  is  often  said  to  have  fulfilled  the  law.  Thus,  Malt, 
iii.,  15:  "Thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness."  And 
again.  Matt,  v.,  17  :  "  Think  not  that  I  come  to  destroy  the  law, 
or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil."  But 
here  it  is  said,  he  will  "  magnify  the  law,  and  make  it  honorable." 
He  came  to  give  new  lustre  and  glory  to  the  holy  law  of  God, 
that  all  worlds  might  see  and  understand  that  the  law  is  holy,  and 


SERMON    LXXVI.  447 

just  and  good.  When  God  wrote  the  law  upon  the  heart  of 
Adam  in  his  creation,  that  was  magnifying  the  law.  He  showed 
it  to  be  a  great  and  holy  and  happy  law,  when  he  wrote  it  in  the 
bosom  of  so  holy  and  happy  a  creature  as  man  then  was.  When 
God  spoke  the  law  from  Mount  Sinai,  that  magnified  the  law,  and 
made  it  glorious.  When  he  spoke  it  with  his  own  voice  in  so 
dreadful  a  manner,  when  he  wrote  it  twice  with  his  own  finger, 
this  was  magnifying  it — enough,  one  would  think,  to  make  our 
modern  Sabbath-breakers  tremble  to  erase  it.  But  most  of  all 
when  Christ  died,  did  he  give  lustre,  and  greatness,  and  glory,  and 
majesty,  to  the  law  of  God  in  the  sight  of  all  worlds. 

1.  By  his  sufferings.  He  magnified  the  holiness  and  justice  of 
the  law  by  bearing  its  curse.  When  Adam  sinned,  he  denied  that 
the  law  was  holy  and  just.  The  devil  said  to  him  :  "  Ye  shall  not 
surely  die."  He  believed  the  devil.  He  thought  God  would  not 
make  him  die — he  thought  God  would  fall  back  from  his  strict  and 
holy  law.  He  will  not  do  it.  Will  he  destroy  the  creatures  he 
has  made  merely  for  taking  an  apple  ?  When  any  man  sins,  he 
denies  the  holiness  of  God's  law.  When  a  man  swears,  or  breaks 
the  Sabbath,  or  dishonors  his  parents,  or  lies,  or  steals,  he  says  in 
his  heart:  God  will  not  sec,  God  will  not  take  notice,  God  will  not 
cast"  me  into  hell  for  this.  He  docs  not  believe  the  threatenings 
of  God.  He  does  not  believe  that  the  law  is  holy  and  just.  If 
those  of  you  who  live  in  sin  really  believed  that  every  sin  you 
committed  was  to  bring  down  another  stripe  for  eternity,  another 
wave  of  fire  to  roll  over  your  bodies  and  souls  in  hell  for  ever, 
you  could  not  sin  as  you  do ;  and  therefore  you  dishonor  the  law 
— you  make  it  small  and  contemptible — you  persuade  yourselves 
that  God's  law  will  never  be  put  in  force.  Thus  every  sin  is  done 
against  God — "  against  thee,  thee  only."  Now  God  sent  his  Son 
into  the  world  to  magnify  the  law,  by  dying  under  its  curse.  He 
took  upon  him  the  curse  due  to  sinners,  and  bore  it  in  his  body  on 
the  tree,  and  thereby  proved  that  God's  law  cannot  be  mocked. 

When  God  cast  the  devil  and  his  angels  into  hell,  this  showed 
in  a  very  dreadful  manner  the  truth  of  his  threatenings,  the  awful 
strictness  of  his  law.  If  God  had  cast  all  men  into  hell,  it  would 
have  shown  the  same  thing.  But  much  more  when  Christ  bowed 
his  head  under  the  stroke  of  the  law's  curse.  He  was  a  person 
of  infinite  dignity  and  glory:  "God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever." 
He  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.  He  was  far 
exalted  above  all  blessing  and  praise.  God-man ;  the  only  being 
who  ever  stood  on  this  earth  who  was  God  and  man.  He  was 
one  who  had  no  personal  sin.  He  was  perfect ;  knew  no  sin,  did 
no  sin,  was  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners. 
He  was  infinitely  dear  to  God.  His  own  Son;  his  only  begotten 
Son ;  one  who  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  was  God ; 
into  whose  bosom  the  love  of  the  uncreated  God  had  flowed  from 
all  eternity.     It  was  he  who  came  and  bowed  his  neck  to  the 


448  SERMON   LXXVI. 

Stroke  of  the  law.  He  was  seen  of  angels.  Angels  desired  to 
look  into  the  awful  scene.  The  eyes  of  millions  of  worlds  were 
turned  towards  Calvary.  When  Jesus  died,  he  redeenned  us  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us ;  and  now  a'll 
worlds  saw  that  God  could  not  be  mocked.  He  added  lustre  to 
the  holy  law.  Angels  and  archangels  saw,  and  trembled  as  they 
saw.     He  that  did  not  spare  his  Son  will  spare  no  other. 

Learn  the  certainty  of  hell  for  the  Christless.  Which  of  you 
that  are  Christless  can  hope  to  escape  the  curse  of  the  law,  since 
God  did  not  spare  his  Son?  If  you  have  made  up  your  mind  to 
refuse  Christ,  then  you  must  bear  hell.  You  say  you  are  a  person 
of  great  mind,  of  great  power,  of  great  wealth  ;  but  ah  !  you  are 
not  equal  to  the  Son  of  God,  and  even  he  was  not  spared.  You 
say  your  sins  are  not  many,  not  gross,  not  so  bad  as  those  of  other 
men  ;  ah  !  but  Christ  knew  no  sin  ;  he  had  no  personal  sin  ;  all  was 
imputed  sin.  How  surely  will  you  suffer !  You  say  God  has 
been  kind  to  you,  has  given  you  many  mercies  ;  ah  !  remember, 
Christ  was  the  Son  of  his  love,  and  yet  the  law  demanded  it,  God 
spared  not  his  own  Son.  Though  you  were  the  signet  on  his 
right  hand,  yet  would  he  pluck  you  thence ;  though  you  were  a 
right  eye,  yet  would  he  pluck  you  out. 

Learn  to  Jlee  from  sin.  Every  sin  will  have  its  eternal  punish- 
ment. The  sin  you  are  committing  has  either  been  suffered  for 
in  Christ,  or  will  be  suffered  for  by  you  in  hell.  Why  will  you 
fill  up  your  cup  of  torment  to  the  brim  ?  If  you  will  not  come  to 
Christ,  at  least  you  might  spare  yourself  from  greater  damnation. 

2.  By  his  obedience.  He  added  lustre  to  the  goodness  of  the 
law  by  obeying  it.  When  Adam  preferred  the  service  of  the 
devil  to  the  service  of  God,  he  said  that  the  law  of  God  was  not 
good.  The  fruit  appeared  good  for  food,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired 
to  make  one  wise,  and  so  he  ate.  And  so  with  every  sinner  now. 
When  you  prefer  sin  to  holiness ;  when  you  prefer  to  swear,  or  to 
break  the  Sabbath,  or  to  go  with  the  wicked,  to  serving  God  with 
all  humility  of  mind,  then  you  say,  God's  law  is  bondage.  It  is 
not  good  to  be  under  it.  It  would  not  make  me  happy  to  keep  it. 
I  am  happier  in  breaking  it  than  I  would  be  in  keeping  it.  It  is 
not  good  to  love  God  irith  all  my  heart,  and  my  neighbor  as  my- 
self Now,  when  Christ  came  and  obeyed  the  law  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave,  when  the  Son  of  God  came  and  delighted  to 
do  the  will  of  God,  and  had  the  law  always  in  his  heart,  loving 
God  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbor  as  himself,  this  gave  new 
lustre  to  the  law.  It  showed  to  all  worlds  that  it  is  the  happiness 
and  chief  good  of  the  creature  to  keep  God's  holy  law. 

Christ  was  the  freest  being  in  the  universe,  most  absolutely  free, 
doing  all  things  according  to  the  pleasure  of  his  own  will.  He 
was  also  most  wise,  only  wise.  He  knew  the  nature  of  things ; 
knew  their  beginning  and  end.  He  had  also  tasted  the  joys  of 
heaven.     He  had  drunk  from  all  eternity  the  river  of  God's  plea- 


SERMON     LXXVI.  449 

sures  ;  had  enjoyed  all  that  the  Father  enjoyed,  the  fulness  of  joy 
that  is  in  God's  presence,  and  the  pleasures  that  are  at  his  right 
hand  for  evermore;  and  yet,  when  he  stood  in  our  nature,  he 
delighted  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man;  yea,  God's  law 
was  within  his  heart.  The  whole  Book  of  Psalms  bears  witness 
to  the  inward  holiness  of  his  heart.  He  loved  God  with  all  his 
heart,  and  soul,  and  mind,  and  strength ;  he  loved  his  neighbor  as 
himself,  yea,  more  than  himself;  for  he  gave  up  his  own  life  for 
ours.  He  was  subject  to  parents  and  governors.  He  loved  the 
holy  vSabbath.  He  magnified  the  law,  and  made  it  honorable. 
He  gave  it  a  new  lustre  in  the  sight  of  all  worlds.  He  showed 
with  a  new  clearness  and  brightness  before  unknown,  that  it  is  the 
chief  happiness  of  the  creature  to  keep  the  whole  law. 

Learn  the  true  wisdom  of  those  of  you  who  are  new  creatures, 
and  who  love  God's  holy  law.  All  of  you  who  are  really  brought 
to  Christ  are  changed  into  his  image,  so  that  you  love  God's  holy 
law.  "  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ;"  "  The 
statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart."  Ps.  xix.  The 
world  say.  What  a  slave  you  are  !  you  cannot  take  a  little  amuse- 
ment on  the  Sabbath,  a  Sabbath  walk  or  tea-party ;  you  cannot 
go  to  a  dance  or  theatre  ;  you  cannot  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sen- 
sual indulgence  ;  you  are  a  slave.  I  answer,  Christ  had  none  of 
these  pleasures.  He  did  not  want  them ;  nor  do  we.  He  knew 
what  was  truly  wise,  and  good,  and  happy,  and  he  chose  God's 
holy  law.  He  was  the  freest  of  all  beings,  and  yet  he  knew  no 
sin.  Only  make  me  free  as  Christ  is  free  ;  this  is  all  I  ask.  "  Great 
peace  have  they  who  love  thy  law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them." 

IVl   The  effect :  "  God  is  well  pleased." 

1.  With  Christ.  God  is  well  pleased  with  Christ  for  many  rea- 
sons. (1.)  Because  he  is  his  image  :  "  The  brightness  of  his  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person."  (2.)  Because  he  is  lovely. 
(3.)  For  his  dying  :  "  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me."  John 
X.,  17.  He  loves  him  with  a  full  love  ;  he  pours  out  the  love  of 
his  whole  heart ;  an  unclouded  love  ;  sunshine  without  a  cloud  ; 
an  everlasting  love. 

2.  With  all  that  are  in  Christ.  Whoever  of  you  is  willing  to 
forsake  your  own  righteousness,  and  to  take  Christ  as  your 
surety,  God  not  only  pardons,  but  is  well  pleased  with  you  for 
his  righteousness'  sake.  The  same  love  wherewith  he  loves 
Christ,  he  will  pour  out  on  you  ;  and,  O  I  who  can  wonder,  when 
you  really  think  of  the  law-magnifying  righteousness  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  ?  It  is  an  ocean  of  divine  righteousness,  and  those  who  are 
plunged  in  it  are,  as  it  were,  lost  in  divine  righteousness.  It  is 
an  atmosphere  of  light,  ready  to  envelope  the  soul,  so  that  the  sin- 
ner may  be  covered  entirely,  and  thus  become  divinely  fair,  and 
infinitely  well  pleasing  to  God. 

Invitation.     He  that  wrought  out  this  righteousness  invites  you 
29 


450  SERMON     LXXVII. 

all  to  get  the  benefit  of  it.  To  you  who  have  no  concern  :  "  Hear, 
O  ye  deaf;  and  look,  ye  blind."  "  Unto  you,  O  nnen,  I  call,  and 
my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  man."  You  that  are  weary,  he  invites 
still  more  tenderly  :  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  arc 
heavy  laden."  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters."  If  you  come  this  day  to  Christ,  you  do  not  need  to  fear 
that  God's  infinite  majesty  will  be  against  you ;  for  the  Lord  is 
well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake,  for  he  magnified  the  law, 
and  made  it  honorable.     Amen. 

jyii^  '  e,  March  6,  1842. 


SERMON   LXXVII. 

THE    OBEDIENCE    AND    DISOBEDIENCE    OF    ONE. 

"  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience 
of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous." — Rom.  v.,  19. 

L  There  is  an  exact  parallel  between  the  way  in  which  we  are 
made  sinners,  and  the  way  in  which  we  are  made  righteous. 
This  is  obvious  at  the  first  reading  of  the  text ;  and  the  more  our 
eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  wondrous  truths  that  are  hidden  here, 
the  more  we  shall  discover  this,  that  all  who  are  justified,  are  jus- 
tified in  the  very  same  way  as  they  were  made  sinners. 

2.  Unconverted  men  know  neither  of  these  truths.  "  The  na- 
tural man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither 
can  he  know  them."  I  am  persuaded  that  if  those  of  you  who 
are  carnal  men,  get  a  glimpse  of  the  meaning  of  this  verse  to-day, 
you  will  think  it  consummate  folly,  although  it  be  the  whole  coun- 
sel of  God  for  the  salvation  of  a  sinner.  If  the  Gospel  pleased 
carnal  men,  it  would  not  be  the  Gospel ;  it  would  prove  itself  to 
be  false. 

3.  It  is  deeply  important  that  you  know  both  of  these.  They 
are  life  to  the  soul.  You  must  know  the  first,  how  you  were 
made  sinners,  in  order  that  you  may  lie  down  as  a  dead,  con- 
demned soul  at  the  feet  of  Christ.  You  must  know  the  second, 
how  a  sinner  is  made  righteous,  in  order  that  you  may  have  all 
joy  and  peace  in  believing.  O  that  God  the  Holy  Spirit  may  open 
all  your  eyes  to-day,  and  mine  ! 

L  The  way  in  wMch  we  were  made  sinners  :  "  By  the  disobedi- 
ence of  one." 

1.  The  one  man.  Our  first  father,  Adam — the  root  and  spring  of 
the  human  race,  and  also  the  head  and  representative  of  us  all  ; 
perfect  in  body,  perfect  in  soul,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  image  of 
God,  very  good.     It  pleased  God  to  deal  with  mankind  from  the 


SERMON    LXXVII.  451 

very  first  in  this  way.  As  you  heard  lately,  he  did  not  deal  with 
men  as  a  field  of  corn,  where  every  stalk  stands  upon  its  own 
root ;  but  he  dealt  with  man  as  with  a  tree,  all  the  branches  of 
which  have  but  one  root  and  stem.  He  seems  to  have  dealt  with 
the  angels  in  the  other  way,  each  angel  standing  on  its  own  root ; 
but  he  dealt  with  mankind  like  a  tree  and  its  branches.  So  that 
if  Adam  stood,  all  stood  ;  if  he  fell,  all  fell.  Some  may  say  :  It 
is  not  just  to  deal  this  way  with  man  :  w^e  were  not  consulted  in 
this  matter  whetner  we  would  have  Adam  for  our  head  or  no.  I 
answer  :  "  Nay,  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God  ?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it.  Why 
hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?"  God  has  made  us  thus — the  holy, 
wise,  good,  and  gracious  God.  Whether  you  believe  it  or  not, 
whether  you  like  it  or  not,  God  has  made  man  thtis,  and  you  can- 
not change  it. 

2.  Disobedience :  The  eating  the  forbidden  fruit.  Only  one 
sin.  Some  of  you  see  little  evil  in  one  sin,  or  in  a  hundred 
sins ;  but  here  you  see  one  sin  cast  Adam  and  all  his  children 
out  of  paradise.  God  did  not  wait  till  it  was  repeated.  It 
appeared  a  small  sin.  The  outward  action  was  small,  only 
stretching  out  the  hand  and  taking  an  inviting  fruit.  Some  of 
you  think  little  of  sins  that  make  no  great  noise  ;  such  as  breaking 
the  Sabbath,  drinking  too  much,  speaking  what  is  false,  sitting 
down  Christless  at  the  Lord's  table  ;  but  see  here,  one  small  sin 
brought  a  world  under  the  curse  of  God.  God  would  rather  a 
world  should  perish  than  one  small  sin  go  unpunished. 

3.  The  consequence :  "  Many  were  made  sinners."  I  have 
said  that  it  pleased  God  to  deal  with  mankind  as  a  tree.  If  you 
strike  with  the  axe  at  the  root  of  a  tree,  the  whole  tree  falls,  not 
only  the  stem,  but  the  branches,  and  even  the  twigs  upon  the 
branches  ;  and  all  the  branches  die  and  wither,  and  become  fit 
for  the  burning.  So  it  was  when  Adam  fell.  Satan  laid  the  axe 
at  the  root  of  the  tree  ;  and  when  Adam  fell,  many  fell  along  with 
him.  All  his  branches  fell  (hat  same  day.  One  stroke  brought  all 
down.  Even  the  branches  most  distant  from  Adam,  even  the 
tenderest  twigs  springing  from  these  branches,  fell,  and  withered, 
and  died  that  day.  (1.)  Death  passed  upon  all  men.  From  that 
hour  man  became  a  dying  thing,  the  seeds  of  dissolution  were 
sown  ;  the  fair,  blooming  creature  began  to  wither  and  dissolve  ; 
and  every  branch  came  dying  into  the  world.  (2.)  Spiritual 
death.  Just  as  in  a  tree  when  it  is  felled,  the  nourishment  is 
immediately  cut  oflT  from  both  the  stem  and  branches  ;  so  it 
was  with  fallen  man.  In  the  day  he  ate  he  surely  died ;  not  a 
spark  of  spiritual  life  remained'  in  him,  or  any  of  his.  This 
explains  how  your  children  come  into  the  world  utterly  dead  to 
God  and  divine  things.  They  are  lively  in  other  things.  The 
new-born  babe  clings  to  its  mothers  breast,  but  not  to  Jesus.  (3.) 
The  curse  of  God.     This  is  the  proper  meaning  of "  were  made 


452  SERMON    LXXVII. 

sinners."  It  is  a  judicial  term,  "were  held  in  God's  sight  as 
guilty,  lost,  undone  sinners."  In  that  day  the  frown  of  God  came 
upon  all  men.  The  holy  nature  of  God  abhorred  the  apostate 
race.     The  curse  of  the  broken  law  passed  upon  all  men. 

Ah,  brethren  !  here  is  matter  for  humiliation  that  few  of  you 
think  about.  Not  only  are  you  covered  over  with  an  infinite  load 
of  actual  sins;  not  only  have  you  got  a  heart  like  the  inside  of  a 
grave,  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  rotten  flesh,  and  all  unclean- 
ness  ;  or.  like  the  cave  of  hell,  "  a  hold  for  every  foul  spirit,  and 
the  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird,"  but  you  belong  to  a 
cursed  race  ;  you  are  the  wicked  branch  of  a  wicked  tree,  you 
are  entirely  and  originally  a  sinner,  spiritually  dead,  disinclined 
from  all  that  is  good.  O  pray  to  discover  your  connexion  with 
the  first  Adam,  to  make  you  cleave  to  the  second  Adam  !  The 
world  scoff  and  deride  this  truth,  but  that  proves  it  to  be  divine  ; 
for  if  the  Gospel  appeared  wise  to  the  world,  it  would  disprove 
itself. 

II.  The  way  in  which  we  are  made  righteous :  "  By  the  obedi- 
ence of  One  shall  many  be  made  righteous." 

1.  One.  This  second  One  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  second 
Adam,  and  the  Son  of  God.  (1.)  The  first  Adam  was  fair, 
exquisitely  fair,  as  he  came  from  the  band  of  God  ;  but  the  second 
is  altogether  lovely,  fairer  than  the  children  of  men.  (2.)  The 
first  Adam  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  God  ;  but  the  second  is 
God  himself,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person.  (3.)  The  first  Adam 
was  full  of  heavenly  wisdom,  so  that  he  named  all  the  creatures 
as  they  came  ;  but  in  the  second  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge.  He  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  He  spake 
as  never  man  spake.  He  calls  all  the  stars  by  their  names. 
(4.)  The  first  was  the  head  of  the  whole  human  race,  the  federal 
head  ;  so  that  in  him  they  stood,  and  in  him  they  fell.  Christ 
is  offered  as  a  head  to  every  creature,  and  is  actually  the 
head  of  all  the  redeemed,  and  of  myriads  of  holy  angels,  all 
gathered  together  in  him,  even  in  him. 

O  glorious  One  !  Divine  and  human  perfections  meet  in  him  ! 
O  that  you  were  filled  with  sweet,  admiring,  adoring  thoughts  of 
him  this  day  I  O  that  he  would  rise  upon  you  like  the  sun  1  He 
is  the  Light  of  the  world,  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  the  bright 
and  morning  Star.  It  is  that  One  who  justifies  the  ungodly,  who 
has  power  to  forgive  sins.     He  is  precious  to  all  that  believe. 

2.  His  obedience :  Twofold. 

(1.)  He  obeyed  the  holy  law  of  God. — Satan  thought  he  had  got 
God's  law  for  ever  dishonored,  when  he  got  the  whole  human  race 
to  abhor  it,  to  disown  it,  and  not  to  obey  it  ;  but  he  was  foiled  in 
this  very  thing.  The  Son  of  God  came  and  obeyed  it.  The  obe- 
dience of  that  One  was  more  glorifying  to  God,  more  amazing  to 


SERMON    LXXVII.  453 

angels,  than  the  obedience  of  a  world  would  have  been.  He  mag- 
nified the  law,  and  made  it  honorable,  made  it  shine  brighter  far 
than  ever,  as  a  holy,  just,  and  good  law. 

Look  through  the  liie  of  Jesus,  as  related  in  the  Gospel,  and  you 
will  see  what  It  is  to  obey  the  law  of  God.  He  had  no  other  gods 
before  his  Father.  He  bowed  to  no  idols.  He  took  not  his  holy 
name  in  vain.  He  remembered  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy. 
He  came  down  to  Nazareth,  and  was  subject  to  Joseph  and  Mary. 
"  Woman,  behold  thy  son."  He  did  not  kill,  he  did  not  commit 
adultery,  he  did  not  steal,  there  was  no  guile  found  in  his  mouth, 
he  coveted  not.  Or,  if  you  sum  the  ten  commandments,  and  make 
them  into  two,  He  loved  God  with  all  his  heart,  ,and  mind,  and 
strength;  and  beloved  his  neighbor  as  himself.  An  unquenchable 
love  to  God  burned  in  his  bosom.  He  regarded  God  in  all  that  he 
did.  Even  when  God  bruised  him  and  put  him  to  grief,  when 
God  cried,  "  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  shepherd,  and  against 
the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts :  smite  the 
shepherd,  and  the  sheep  will  be  scattered  :  and  I  will  turn  mine 
hand  upon  the  little  ones  ;"  even  then  he  cried, "  My  God,  my  God  !" 
He  kissed  the  hand  that  smote  him.  He  loved  his  neighbor  more 
than  himself :  "Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man 
lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends,"  "  For  my  Jove  they  are  my  ad- 
versaries," "  While  we  were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us."  Even 
when  they  were  nailing  him  to  the  cross,  wagging  their  heads  at 
him,  railing  on  him,  offering  him  vinegar,  he  cried,  "  Father,  for- 
give them  ;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Love  is  the  fulfil- 
ling of  the  law  !  Now  God  is  love,  and  Christ  is  God.  This  is 
part  of  the  obedience  of  One,  by  which  he  makes  many  sinners 
righteous. 

(2.)  He  laid  down  his  life.  In  this  he  obeyed  a  special  com- 
mandment of  his  Father.  Adam  was  not  only  under  the  ten  com- 
mandments, but  he  had  a  special  commandment  given  him,  to  try 
his  obedience  to  God's  will,  namely,  that  he  should  not  eat  the  for- 
bidden fruit.  In  like  manner  Christ  was  not  only  under  the  ten 
commandments,  but  under  a  special  commandment,  the  most  diffi- 
cult that  ever  was  given  to  any  being,  that  he  should  die  for  sin- 
ners :  "  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  because  I  lay  down 
my  life.  This  commandment  have  1  received  of  my  Father." — 
John  X.,  17.  And  a  little  after:  "  The  cup  which  my  Father  hath 
given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it?" — John  xviii.,  IL 

Therefore  does  he  say:  "Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst  not 
desire  ;  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened  :  burnt-offering  and  sin-offer- 
ing hast  thou  not  required.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come  :  in  the  vo- 
lume of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my 
God  ;  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart." — Psal.  xl.  And,  "  Being 
found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedi- 
ent unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross." — Phil,  ii.,  8.  This 
was  the  most  amazing  trial  of  obedience  that  ever  was.     It  was 


454  '  SERMON    LXXVII. 

a  long  trial :  "  I  am  afflicted  and  ready  to  die  from  my  youth  up  : 
while  I  suffer  my  terrors  I  am  distracted."  He  was  "  a  man  of 
sorrows"  from  his  youth.  Often,  often,  he  sank  under  the  dark 
cloud  of  his  Father's  anger,  till  he  groaned  his  last  on  Calvary. 
There  was  nothin:,^  in  the  nature  of  things  to  oblige  him  to  do  it. 
There  was  nothing  good  or  amiable  in  those  For  whom  he  died ; 
they  were  vile  sinners,  not  asking  him  to  die  for  them,  blind  to  his 
excellency  and  divine  glory.  Yet  he  was  obedient  unto  death. 
This  is  the  obedience  by  which  he  covers  and  justifies  all  those, 
however  sinful,  that  come  to  God  by  him. 

3.  The  consequence :  "  Many  are  made  righteous."  We  have 
seen  that  in  the  fall  and  ruin  of  man,  it  pleased  God  to  deal  with 
man,  not  as  a  field  of  corn,  each  standing  on  his  own  root,  but  as 
a  tree,  in  which  all  the  branches  stand  or  fall  together.  We  were 
not  made  sinners,  each  by  his  individual  sin,  but  all  by  the  sin  of 
one.  In  like  manner  it  has  pleased  God  to  justify  sinners,  not  each 
by  his  own  obedience,  by  his  own  goodness  and  holiness,  but"  by 
the  obedience  of  One."  Just  as  Adam  by  his  one  sin  brought 
death,  the  curse  of  God,  and  total  spiritual  death,  not  only  upon 
himself,  but  upon  all  branches,  even  the  most  distant,  even  the 
minutest,  even  though  unborn  ;  so  the  second  Adam,  by  his  own 
obedience,  brought  pardon,  righteousness,  spiritual  life,  and  eternal 
glory  to  all  his  branches,  even  the  most  distant,  the  smallest,  even 
those  unborn.    - 

(1.)  They  are  made  righteous.  Those  who  betake  themselves 
to  Christ  are  made  righteous.  It  matters  not  what  they  have  been 
before,  they  are  righteous  now.  They  belong  to  a  righteous 
family,  to  a  righteous  tree  ;  the  root  is  righteous,  and  so  are  all 
the  branches.  They  are  not  forgiven  only — not  only  have  their 
infinite  sins  been  blotted  out,  but  they  are  made  righteous.  They 
are  not  only  made  innocent,  as  if  they  had  done  no  sin,  but  right- 
eous, as  if  they  had  fulfilled  all  righteousness.  All  that  Christ  did 
and  suffered  is  counted  theirs.  Neither  are  they  made  righteous 
as  if  they  had  obeyed,  but  as  if  they  had  obeyed  divinely.  They 
are  made  righteous  all  at  once.  We  were  made  sinners  all  at 
once — by  one  blow — by  one  man's  sin  ;  so  those  of  you  who 
cleave  to  Christ  are  made  righteous  all  at  once.  You  have  not  to 
wait  many  years  before  you  find  acceptance.  You  find  it  the 
moment  you  cleave  to  Christ  :  "  He  that  believeth  on  me  hath 
everlasting  life" — "  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength" 
— "  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall 
glory." 

(2.)  Many,  not  few.  The  first  Adam  was  the  root  of  a  nu- 
merous family,  to  whom,  by  his  disobedience,  he  transmitted  death 
and  sin.  The  second  Adam  is  the  root  of  a  numerous  family,  to 
whom  he  gives  pardon  and  holiness.  They  are  scattered  over 
every  country  and  every  age,  so  that  often  they  seem  few,  but 
they  are  many  when  gathered  together.     "  So  shall  thy  seed  be." 


SERMON    LXXVII.  455 

"  I  saw  a  great  company  which  no  man  could  number,"  every 
one  made  righteous  in  this  way.  "  In  my  Father's  house  are 
many  mansions,"  and  none  of  them  will  be  empty,  yet  every  one 
will  be  righteous  in  the  disobedience  of  one.  O  will  ye  not  be 
among  the  many  ! 

(3.)  Many,  not  all.  The  second  Adam  offers  himself  to  all. 
He  is  willing  to  be  co-extensive  with  the  first  Adam.  Ruin,  by 
the  fall  of  the  first  Adam,  extended  to  every  creature  ;  and  so  the 
gift  of  the  second  Adam  is  to  every  creature  ;  "  Go,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  The  Gospel  is  preached  to  every 
creature  under  heaven.  Christ  stands  willing  to  be  a  root  of  par- 
don, and  righteousness,  and  eternal  life,  to  every  creature.  Yet 
all  do  not,  and  will  not,  come.  The  most  stay  away,  and  die  in 
their  sins,  I  fear  the  most  of  you  are  now  staying  away  from 
Christ.     O  that  you  were  all  made  righteous  in  God's  way ! 

III.  Lessons. 

1.  Most  are  on  the  wrong  way.  Many  people  are  in  earnest  in 
a  wrong  direction.  When  a  ship  is  wrecked,  and  the  sailors  take 
to  the  long-boat,  they  toil  hard  to  get  to  land,  but  often  they  row 
in  wrong  directions  So  with  sinners.  Many  of  you  are  in 
earnest,  but  not  in  the  right  direction.  Most  are  trying  to  be 
righteous  in  the  obedience  of  many — each  in  his  own.  You  want 
to  stand  on  your  own  root.  You  will  not  take  guilt  from  the  first 
Adam,  neither  righteousness  from  the  second.  Are  you  wiser 
than  God  ?  If  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead 
in  vain.  You  are  trying  to  make  Christ  useless.  Is  it  not  better 
to  submit  to  God's  way — to  fall  in  with  the  divine  scheme — to 
submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God  ? 

2.  All  believers  are  equally  righteous  before  God.  I  have  seen 
a  family  of  children  all  dressed  alike,  that  none  might  boast  over 
the  others,  all  being  equally  fair.  So  it  is  with  God's  family  ; 
they  are  all  righteous  in  the  obedience  of  One.  One  garment 
covers  them  all — the  robe  of  their  elder  Brother.  Believers  difter 
in  attainments,  in  gifts  and  graces,  but  all  are  equally  justified  be- 
fore God.  It  is  not  work  of  their  own  that  justifies  them,  it  is  the 
work  of  Christ  alone.  Ah,  brethren  !  there  is  no  boasting  in 
Christ's  family.  "  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  It  is  excluded."  This 
is  what  keeps  most  away.  They  cannot  bear  to  be  on  the  same 
level  with  a  drunkard  or  a  publican.  They  cannot  bear  to  come 
before  God  along  with  Mary  Magdalene  and  the  dying  thief. 

3.  You  may  come  always  to  God  this  way.  It  is  not  once  only 
that  you  need  this  divine  obedience  to  cover  you,  but  all  your  life 
long.  The  moment  you  forsake  Chi'ist,  you  lose  your  righteous- 
ness before  God.  But  you  may  return  now.  This  obedience  is 
always  the  same — always  full — always  divine.  You  say  you  are 
changed :  Christ  is  not  changed.  You  say  you  have  got  new 
guilt :  Christ  is  still  the  same.     You  may  still  be  made  righteous 


456  SERMON    LXXVIII. 

once  more  in  the  obedience  of  one.  Why  stay  away  from  Christ  ? 
Can  you  make  yourself  righteous  away  from  him  ?  Can  you  be 
righteous  any  other  way  than  by  submitting  to  him  ? 

Dundee,  April  17,  1S42. — (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON  LXXVIII. 

THE    LORD    KNOWETH    HOW    TO    DELIVER. 

"  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation,  and  to  reserve 
the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished. "^2  Peter  ii.,  9. 

There  are  only  two  great  classes  of  people  in  the  world — the 
godly  and  the  unjust ;  and  the  way  in  which  God  deals  with  these 
two  classes  makes  up  the  history  of  the  universe.  To  one  of  these 
classes  every  one  of  you  belongs.  1.  The  godly  are  those  who 
have  been  born  again — made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature, 
and  live  unto  God.  2.  The  unjust  are  those  who  are  ungodly — 
who  have  never  been  born  again — who  live  to  themselves  and  to 
the  world.     God  deals  very  differently  with  these  two  classes. 

I.  His  treatment  of  the  godly. 

1.  He  allows  them  to  fall  into  temptations.  The  whole  Bible 
shows  that  it  is  common  for  believers  to  be  carried  through  many 
and  great  temptations.  Temptations  may  be  understood  in  two 
ways.  (1.)  Solicitations  to  sin.  All  believers  are  allowed  to  fall 
into  these.  The  old  nature  remains  ;  though  crucified,  and  morti- 
fied, and  hated,  yet  it  remains.  Satan  shoots  his  fiery  darts — 
lays  snares  for  the  soul.  The  world  watches  for  our  halting.  No 
doubt  Noah  felt  these  in  the  old  world,  and  Lot  as  he  walked 
through  the  streets  of  Sodom.  (2.)  Trials.  All  kinds  of  trial 
which  try  the  soul  whether  it  will  abide  in  Christ  or  no — re- 
proaches and  persecutions.  Often  the  trial  is  fiery.  The  whole 
Bible  testifies  that  it  is  common  for  believers  to  fall  into  these. 
The  ordinary  course  of  a  believer  passes  through  these :  "  There 
hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is  common  to  man  ;  but 
God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that 
ye  are  able." — 1  Cor.  x.,  13.  Think  it  not  strange.  James  says: 
"  Count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations."  And 
Paul  says,  "  that  he  served  the  Lord  with  all  humility  of  mind, 
with  many  tears  and  temptations." — Acts  xx.,  19.  You  may 
think  it  strange  that  God  should  take  us  by  such  a  way  to  glory — 
by  tears  and  temptations.  Why  did  he  let  Noah  live  so  long  in  a 
world  of  trials  ?  Why  did  he  let  Lot  remain  in  the  midst  of 
Sodom  ? 

1st,  To  manifest  the  reality  of  grace.     It  is  said :  "  There  must 


ERMON    LXXVIII.  457 

be  also  heresies  among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved  may  be 
made  manifest  among  you." — 1  Cor.  xi.,  19.  For  the  same  reason 
there  must  be  temptations,  that  those  of  you  who  are  really  God's 
children  may  be  made  manifest.  In  a  time  when  there  is  no  trial 
or  temptation,  it  is  easy  to  receive  the  Word  with  joy,  and  many 
among  you  appear  to  be  Christians  ;  but  when  temptation  comes, 
many  go  down — many  that  seemed  to  get  good  at  one  time,  to  be 
moved,  and  to  wait  diligently  on  the  Word.  Perhaps  if  you  had 
been  allowed  to  go  smoothly  through  life  without  temptations, 
you  would  have  remained  with  a  name  to  live  all  your  diiys  ;  but 
temptation  came,  and  you  sank,  just  to  show  that  you  were  none 
of  his.  But  Noah  is  kept  in  the  midst  of  the  old  world,  not  con- 
forming to  the  world,  to  show  that  there  is  a  divine  power  work- 
ing in  him — to  show  that  there  is  an  electing,  forgiving,  upholding 
God.  Lot  is  kept  in  Sodom  to  show  the  same  thing.  And  you 
that  are  believers  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  manifold 
temptations. 

2d.  To  condemn  the  world.  Noah  was  moved  with  fear,  bv 
which  he  condemned  the  world.  When  a  poor  fellow- worm  and 
fellow-sinner  was  enabled  to  live  above  the  world,  to  commune 
with  God,  and  to  go  in  and  out  among  them,  living  for  eternity,  it 
proved  to  them  that  there  was  a  Saviour — that  there  was  a  God 
of  grace.  A  believer  is  a  living  demonstration  of  the  way  of  sal- 
vation. Lot  condemned  the  men  of  Sodom,  when  he  vexed  his 
soul  from  day  to  day,  when  he  lived  among  them  a  pardoned  sin- 
ner, upheld  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  so  the  few  believers  in  this 
place  are  condemning  it.  O,  if  you  had  never  seen  what  conver- 
sion is — if  you  had  no  examples  of  a  holy,  renewed  believer  in 
your  neighborhood,  you  would  stand  with  a  bolder  face  in  the 
judgment !  But,  ah  !  every  believer  in  this  place  condemns  you. 
Why  not  wash  where  we  have  been  washed  ? 

2d,  That  we  may  he  conformed  to  Christ.  Think  it  not  strange 
concerning  the  fiery  trial  that  is  to  try  you,  as  though  some  strano-e 
thing  happened  unto  you  ;  but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  par- 
takers of  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  Christ  was  tempted  by  the 
devil,  and  hated  by  the  world  ;  and  we  must  be  glad  to  share  in 
his  sufferings.  God  desires  us  to  be  like  our  Head  in  all  things. 
2.   The  Lord  knows  how  to  deliver  them. 

(1.)  They  hnow  not  how  to  deliver  themselves.  I  have  no  doubt 
Noah  often  said  :  I  fear  I  too  shall  be  carried  away  with  the  flood ; 
I  fear  my  faith  will  fail  me ;  I  know  not  what  to  do.  And 
Lot  often  trembled  in  Sodom  ;  and  David,  when  Saul  pursued 
him.  Many  of  you  do  not  know  how  to  deliver  yourselves.  You 
are  compassed  about  as  with  a  flood,  by  old  companions,  old  lusts, 
a  hating  world,  a  roaring  lion.  (2.)  Man  knows  not  how  to  de- 
liver you.  It  is  common  for  souls  under  temptation  to  ask  coun- 
sel of  ministers,  but  they  cannot  deliver  you.  Nothing  is  more 
vain  than  the  help  of  man  in  an  hour  of  temptation.     (3.)  The 


458  SERMON    LXXVIIl. 

Lord  knows.  More  is  meant  than  the  mere  words  imply.  The 
Lord  not  only  knows  how  to  do  it,  but  will  certainly  deliver  the 
godly  out  of  temptation.  He  loves  them.  Every  godly  one  is  a 
jewel  in  his  sight ;  he  died  for  them,  and  he  will  not  lose  one. 
When  he  puts  them  into  the  furnace,  he  sits  as  a  refiner.  He  has 
promised  they  shall  never  perish :  *'  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor 
forsake  thee."  He  will  with  the  temptation,  make  a  way  of 
escape  :  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not." 

It  matters  not  what  the  temptation  he.  It  matters  not  how  great 
the  temptation  be,  and  how  weak  the  believing  soul.  Some  chil- 
dren of  God  say  sometimes :  If  it  were  a  lesser  trial,  I  could  bear 
it;  if  the  furnace  were  not  so  hot,  if  the  temptation  were  not  so 
great,  I  could  get  through  ;  or,  if  I  had  more  strength,  if  I  were 
an  older  and  more  experienced  believer.  Look  at  the  words: 
"  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation." 
Is  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  1 

It  matters  not  how  few  the  believers  he.  There  was  but  one  Lot 
and  one  Noah.  Perhaps  they  said  :  "  The  Lord  hath  forgotten 
me,  and  my  God  hath  forsaken  me."  God  is  as  able  to  deliver 
one  as  a  thousand.  One  soul  is  precious  in  his  sight :  "  I  will  take 
you  one  of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family,  and  bring  you  to  Zion  " — 
"  I  will  sift  the  house  of  Israel  like  as  corn  is  sifted  in  a  sieve  ;  yet 
shall  not  the  least  grain  fall  upon  the  earth" — "  Those  whom  thou 
hast  given  me  have  I  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son 
of  perdition,  that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled." 

II.  God's  treatment  of  the  unjust :  "  God  knoweth  how  to 
reserve  the  unjust  to  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished." 

\.  The  end  of  all  the  ungodly  is  to  be  punished.  Whatever  be 
God's  present  dealings  with  the  ungodly,  their  end  is  to  be 
punished.  Whatever  shall  be  found  laden  with  sin,  his  end  is  to  be 
punished.  The  angels  sinned.  They  were  of  a  noble  nature — 
originally  in  the  image  of  God ;  yet  God  did  not  spare  them,  but 
cast  them  down  to  hell.  The  old  world  sinned — a  great  multi- 
tude— a  worldfull ;  God  brought  in  the  flood  upon  them.  An 
individual  town  sinned  ;  God  turned  it  into  ashes,  and  made  it 
an  example  to  all  that  should  afterwards  live  ungodly.  This  will 
be  the  end  of  all  in  this  congregation  who  live  on  in  sin.  Ah  !  it 
will  be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom  than  for  you.  Your  end  is  to 
be  burned. 

2.  Not  now  :  "  God  knoweth  how  to  reserve."  Judgment  against 
an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily.  During  the  French  Revo- 
lution, a  young  man  stepped  forward,  and  dared  God  Almighty  to 
strike  him  dead.  No  evil  followed.  Many  of  you  have  gone  on 
in  sin  thus.  The  first  time  you  sinned,  you  trembled  lest  you 
should  be  quickly  summoned  to  judgment ;  but  no  evil  followed, 
and  now  your  heart  is  fully  set  in  you  to  do  evil.  Ah !  you  little 
understand.     "  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  reserve."     God's  ways 


SERMON    LXXIX.  459 

are  not  like  our  ways.  When  a  man  steals,  the  cry  immediately 
follows :  "  Stop,  thief !"  else  ho  will  be  out  of  reach.  When  a 
murder  is  committed,  a  reward  is  offered  for  the  apprehension  of 
the  murderer,  lest  he  should  escape  from  the  hands  of  justice. 
Not  so  with  God.  He  is  not  in  haste  to  punish.  You  cannot  flee 
out  of  his  dominions.  Your  feet  shall  slide  in  due  time.  God  is 
reserving  you  to  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished.  He  endures 
with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction. 

(1.)  It  is  not  that  you  have  sinned  little.  Many  of  you  have 
sinned  more  than  others  that  have  been  taken  away.  I  have  no 
doubt  there  are  many  in  hell  who  had  far  less  sin  than  some  of 
you. 

(2.)  It  is  not  that  God  loves  ijour  sin.  God  hates  it  infinitely. 
Every  new  sin  you  commit  provokes  him  in  a  fearful  manner. 
Every  new  Sabbath  you  break — every  new  lust  you  pour  forth — 
God  is  more  and  more  angry  with  you. 

(3.)  It  is  not  that  you  are  in  health — thai  there  are  no  means  of 
your  destruction  at  hand.  God  could  smite  in  one  hour.  Here  is 
the  explanation  :  "  God  knoweth  how  to  reserve  the  unjust."  O 
employ  this  day  of  long-suffering,  while  Jesus  waits  to  save  you, 
and  God  refrains  from  destroying  you !     Lord,  help  a  worm  ! 


SERMON  LXXIX. 


DILIGENCE  NECESSARY 


"  Wherefore,  beloved,  seeing  that  ye  look  for  such  things,  be  diligent  that  ye  may 
be  found  of  him  in  peace,  without  spot,  and  blameless." — 1  Pet.  iii.,  14. 

L  The  description  of  believers  here  given :  "  Seeing  ye  look  for 
such  things."  So  Paul :  "  We  look  not  at  the  things  which  are 
seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen." — 2  Cor.  iv.,  18.  The 
unconverted  among  you  look  at  things  seen.  All  your  thoughts, 
talk,  hopes,  and  fears,  are  taken  up  about  the  things  of  lime  and 
sense.  But  those  of  you  who  have  anointed  eyes,  and  hearts  illu- 
mined by  the  Holy  Ghost,  look  beyond  the  bounds  of  time.  But 
the  look  here  spoken  of  is  more  than  mere  knowledge :  it  is  the 
look  of  desire,  of  earnest  longing.  It  is  called  "  looking  and  hast- 
ing unto."  It  is  like  the  look  of  a  child  for  an  absent  parent,  when 
he  looks  and  runs  to  meet  him.  It  is  like  the  look  of  a  bride  for 
the  coming  of  the  bridegroom.     What  are  the  things  ? 

1.  The  second  coming  of  the  Lord.  The  scoffers  say,  "Where 
is  the  promise  of  his  coming?" — Verse  4.  "But  the  day  of  the 
Lord  will  come." — Verse  10.      "  Looking  for  and  hasting  unto 


460  SERMON   LXXIX. 

the  coming  of  the  day  of  God." — Verse  12.  The  great 
event  of  that  day  is  the  coming  of  Jesus  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 
The  world  are  not  looking  for  this,  but  you  that  are  Christ's  are 
looking  for  such  things.  The  world  think  Christ  well  away,  and 
hope  he  may  never  come  back  again.  They  beUeve,  in  some  sort, 
that  the  Son  of  God  was  once  born  of  a  woman,  and  lay  in  the 
manger  at  Bethlehem  ;  that  he  walked  on  the  hills  of  Galilee,  and 
did  many  wonders,  that  he  died,  and  went  to  his  Father.  And 
they  hope  to  see  no  more  of  him.  They  think  the  world  is  we!l 
quit  of  him.  Certain  I  am,  that  if  he  were  returning  to  this  place, 
the  most  of  the  inhabitants  would  wail  because  of  him. 

But  he  will  come,  and  like  a  thief  in  the  night.  He  is  not  slack 
concerning  his  promise,  as  some  men  count  slackness  :  "  That  same 
Jesus  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven." — Acts  i.,  11.  "The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from 
heaven  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall 
be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction." — 2  Thess.  i.,  7.  "  Be- 
hold he  cometh  with  clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they 
also  which  pierced  him  ;  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail 
because  of  him." — Rev.  i.,  7.  Even  so.  Amen.  "  Ye  look  for 
such  things."  If  you  are  Christ's  at  all,  you  are  desiring  that 
blessed  hope.  Many  faithful  and  godly  men  believe  that  the 
day  is  near;  and  who  will  venture  to  say  they  may  not  be  right? 
The  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  Does  a 
bride  long  for  the  coming  of  the  bridal-day  ?  So  will  you  that  are 
Christ's  love  his  appearing. 

2.  The  trial  by  fire :  "  The  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a 
great  noise :  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat:  the 
earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be  burned  up" — 
"All  these  things  shall  be  dissolved." 

The  scoffing  world  do  not  look  for  such  things.  They  do  not 
desire  them,  neither  do  they  expect  them.  They  read  of  them  in 
the  Bible  as  they  would  read  a  terrific  tale,  or  a  tragedy ;  they  do 
not  read  of  them  as  coming  realities.  Yonder  blue  heaven,  they 
think,  shall  always  span  the  earth  with  its  calm  cerulean  arch ; 
the  elements  shall  continue  their  sportive  warfare,  the  wind  blow- 
ing east,  and  then  west ;  the  summer  zephyr  changing  with  the 
winter  blast.  The  green  earth,  they  think,  shall  still  roll  on  with  its 
seed-time  and  harvest,  summer  and  winter.  Their  houses  and  tow- 
ers, they  hope,  shall  last  for  ages  ;  they  call  their  lands  after  their  own 
names.  Ah,  brethren  !  can  you  say  you  are  looking  for  anything 
else  than  just  that  to-morrow  shall  be  as  this  day,  and  much  more 
abundant  ?  But  those  of  you  that  are  taught  of  God  look  for  such 
things.  You  expect  and  desire  that  awful  day.  You  are  ever 
and  anon  looking  up  to  see  when  the  heavens  shall  catch  fire,  and 
pass  away  ;  when  the  hand  that  stretched  them  out  like  a  tent  to 
dwell  in,  shall  roll  them  up  like  a  scroll.     You  are  waiting  for  the 


SERMON    LXXIX.  461 

day  w-hen  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the 
elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat.  You  look  upon  the  earth 
as  one  does  upon  a  crazy  house,  from  which  he  ife  about  to  remove. 
You  look  on  its  mountains,  trees,  and  fields,  as  soon  to  be  burned 
up,  and  all  ils  works,  its  houses,  and  palaces,  and  towers,  as  soon 
to  be  a  smoking  funeral  pile.  No  wonder  Jesus  said  :  "  They  are 
not  of  the  world."  The  wonder  is,  brethren,  that  we  are  so  much 
of  the  world. 

3.  The  new  heavens  and  earth :  "  Nevertheless  we,  according 
to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness." — Verse  13.  The  promise  of  the  new 
heavens  and  earth  is  contained  in  Isa.  Ixv.,  17  ;  again  in  Isa.  Ixvi., 
22  ;  and  again.  Rev.  xxi.,  1  :  "  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth."  What  that  glorious  world  shall  be  I  cannot  tell.  No 
thunder-clouds  shall  ever  darken  the  sky  ;  no  lightning  flash  ; 
no  blighting  east  wind  blow  ;  no  pestilential  fogs  ;  no  raging 
whirlwind.  There  shall  be  no  more  curse  ;  thorns  and  thistles 
shall  nowhere  be  found  ;  paradise  will  be  restored.  All  this  may 
be — I  cannot  tell ;  but  one  thing  is  certain  :  "  Therein  dwelleth 
righteousness."  "  There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything 
that  dcfileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  maketh 
a  lie  ;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 
The  wicked  shall  be  plucked  away.  The  world  do  not  look  for 
such  things.  You  do  not  believe  that  you  shall  ever  be  bound  up 
in  bundles,  and  cast  away.  You  do  not  believe  that  there  is  a 
world  where  you  will  be  separated  from  your  believing  friends 
and  neighbors.  But  we  look  for  such  things.  We  look  for  a  time 
when  you  will  no  more  scorn  us,  and  cast  out  our  name  as  evil ; 
when  you  will  no  more  hate  and  revile  us  ;  a  world  where  you 
will  never  be,  "  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 

II.  The  duty  here  commanded :  "  Be  diligent,  that  ye  may  be 
found  of  him  in  peace." 

The  duty  here  commanded  is  diligence ;  diligence  in  so  living 
as  that,  when  Christ  shall  appear,  he  may  find  you  in  peace, 
without  spot  and  blameless.  Two  things  are  implied  in  this  com- 
mand. 

1.  Be  diligent  to  get  into  Christ.  In  order  to  be  found  in  peace, 
without  spot  and  blameless,  a  man  must  be  found  in  Christ.  If 
any  man  be  out  of  Christ,  he  is  not  at  peace  with  God,  neither  is 
he  without  spot  and  blameless.  There  is  but  one  way  of  being 
unspotted  and  unblamable  before  God,  and  that  is  by  being  in 
Christ.  By  nature,  "  there  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one  ;  there 
is  none  that  understandeth  ;  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God ; 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one."  You  are  all  spotted 
by  your  constantly  wicked  heart ;  and  your  wicked  life  is  a  con- 
tinual blot  before  God.     Be  diligent  to  be  found  in  peace. 

(1.)  Seek  it  as  the  one  thing  needful:  "One  thing  have  I  de- 


462  SERMON    LXXIX. 

sired  of  the  Lord."  Most  in  this  congregation  Iiave  some  .desire 
to  be  saved.  You  would  like  not  to  be  cast  into  hell  ;  you 
would  like  to  be  received  into  glory ;  but  not  many  will  be  dili- 
gent, or  press  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Get  your  heart  so  en- 
grossed with  this,  that  it  shall  be  your  main  concern,  sleeping  and 
waking.  Ah  !  if  you  knew  the  worth  of  Christ,  you  would  be 
diligent  to  be  found  of  him  in  peace. 

(2.)  Leave  no  means  untried.  When  a  man  is  diligent  in  seek- 
ing some  earthly  thing,  he  leaves  no  means  untried  to  get  at  his 
end.  When  a  merchant  is  seeking  goodly  pearls,  he  goes  from 
market  to  market.  When  a  beggar  is  seeking  his  meat,  he  goes 
from  door  to  door  ;  a  hundred  refusals  do  not  daunt  him  ;  he  still 
knocks  on  at  the  next  gate.  And  so,  if  you  are  really  in  earnest, 
you  will  leave  no  means  untried — Bible,  prayer,  united  prayer, 
faithful  ministers,  and  godly  friends. 

(3.)  Give  up  all  that  hinders.  When  a  man  is  diligent  in 
worldly  things,  he  gives  up  all  that  would  mar  his  success.  If  a 
man  is  thoroughly  set  upon  going  a  journey,  he  leaves  his  bed 
early  in  the  morning.  If  a  man  is  running  for  his  life,  he  soon 
throws  away  every  weight.  So,  if  you  are  diligent  in  seeking 
Christ.  If  your  way  of  business  prevents  you  ;  if  it  brings  so 
much  care  as  to  hinder  you,  so  that  you  see  it  will  be  your  ruin, 
you  will  give  it  up.  If  any  company  is  ruinous  to  you,  destroys 
your  seriousness,  hinders  your  prayers,  and  wastes  your  precious 
hours,  you  will  break  it  off.  If  any  idol  hinders  your  cleaving  to 
Christ,  cast  it  away.  Be  diligent,  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him  in 
peace.     Herod  would  not  give  up  his  Herodias. 

2.  Be  diligent  to  abide  in  Christ :  "  Beware  lest  ye  fill  from 
your  own  steadfastness." — Verse  17.  Abide  in  him,  little  chil- 
dren, that  when  he  shall  appear  ye  may  have  confidence,  and  not 
be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming.  (1.)  Leave  no  guilt  upon 
the  conscience.  Guilt  mars  our  communion  with  Christ,  hides  the 
reconciled  face,  brings  clouds,  hidings,  frowns.  Give  daily  dili- 
gence to  come  as  you  came  at  the  first.  He  that  endureth  to  the 
end,  the  same  shall  be  saved.  (2.)  Be  diligent  to  grow  in  grace. 
A  growing  tree  is  a  living  tree.  When  a  tree  ceases  to  grow,  it 
is  in  danger  of  being  blown  down.  So  with  a  believer.  Get 
more  knowledge,  faith,  love.  (3.)  Seek  daily  likeness  to  Jesus. 
We  are  not  justified  by  our  sanctification  ;  and  yet  without  sanc- 
tification  we  cannot  have  abiding  peace  or  communion.  We  are 
justified  entirely  by  the  doing  and  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and 
yet,  when  justified,  he  will  change  us  into  his  image  ;  so  that  the 
longer  we  are  justified  we  should  be  the  more  sanctified.  Study 
holiness,  if  you  would  have  peace  now,  and  be  found  of  Christ  in 
peace.     The  holiest  believers  are  ever-more  the  happiest. 

III.  Motives  to  diligence. 

1.  The  most  are  very  careless. — The  most  around  you  are  living 


SERMON    LXXX.  463 

as  if  there  were  no  cominfr  Saviour,  no  heavens  on  fire,  no  earth 
to  be  burned  up.  The  people  of  this  tov^^n  are  like  the  people  of 
Sodom,  they  are  at  ease  in  sin.  Though  they  have  not  fulness  of 
bread,  they  have  abundance  of  idleness.  The  most  of  believers 
are  very  careless,  not  looking  for  the  Bridegroom  ;  therctore  be 
you  diligent.  Let  your  carelessness  make  you  the  more  diligent. 
Tremble  lest  you  be  infected  with  the  general  carelessness  and 
slumber.     It  is  an  infectious  disease. 

2.  There  is  need  oj  all  your  diligence.  The  righteous  scarcely 
are  saved.  You  live  in  a  world  of  enemies,  your  own  heart,  the 
temptations  of  the  world,  the  snares  of  the  devil.  Few  get  to 
heaven  without  desperate  falls.  If  you  were  travelling  in  Alpine 
countries,  among  rocks  and  precipices,  you  would  see  your  need 
of  diligence,  lest  you  fall  and  break  your  bones.  Such  is  your 
journey  now. 

3.  The  time  is  short:  "What!  could  ye  not  watch  with  me 
one  hour  ?"  If  you  have  yet  to  get  into  Christ,  the  time  is  short. 
You  are  like  a  traveller  who  has  a  long  journey  before  him,  and 
has  slept  till  the  day  is  far  spent.  He  must  double  his  pace,  and 
so  must  you.  If  you  are  in  Christ,  the  time  is  but  short.  You 
are  like  a  sentry  on  guard.  Your  hour  is  a  short  one ;  do  not 
grow  sleepy,  but  keep  awake.  Watch,  for  ye  know  neither  the 
day  nor  the  hour. 

4.  Your  diligence  will  he  too  late,  if  Christ  find  you  Christless. 
When  the  bridegroom  came,  the  foolish  virgins  went  to  buy ; 
but  they  were  too  late.  So  many  of  you  will  begin  to  seek  when 
too  late.  When  you  lift  up  your  eyes  in  hell,  or  when  Jesus 
comes,  you  will  cry,  "  Lord,  Lord ;"  but  all  diligence  will  be  then 
too  late.  When  the  boat  has  left  the  shore,  it  is  in  vain  for  you 
to  run.  Now  your  diligence  may  be  to  good  purpose.  Yet  there 
is  room,  the  door  is  now  open.  "  Be  diligent,  that  ye  may  be 
found  of  him  in  peace." 

Dundee,  May  14,  1842. 


SERMON  LXXX. 


FOLLOW  THE  LORD  FULLY. 


"  But  my  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit  with  him,  and  hath  followed 
me  fully,  him  will  I  bring  into  the  land  whereinto  he  went ;  and  his  seed  shall 
possess  it." — Numb,  xiv.,  24. 

The  children  of  Israel  lay  encamped  below  Mount  Sinai  for  about 
a  year,  during  which  time  God  gave  them  the  law  and  the  taberna- 
cle.    Moving  across  the  desert  with  the  pillar-cloud  before  them, 


464  SERMON    LXXX. 

they  soon  came  to  Kadesh-bnrnca,  in  the  edge  of  the  desert,  and  on 
the  border  of  the  promised  land.  Here,  by  God's  direction,  they 
sent  twelve  spies  to  search  the  land,  and  to  bring  back  word 
"  whether  the  people  were  strong  or  weak,  few  or  many ;  and 
what  the  land  is  that  they  dwell  in,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad ; 
and  what  cities  they  dwell  in,  whether  in  tents  or  in  strongholds."— 
Numb,  xiii.,  18, 19.  Accordingly  the  spies  searched  the  land  from 
one  end  to  another,  going  up  by  the  rocky  dells  of  Hebron,  and 
returning  by  the  pleasant  Vale  of  Eschol.  After  forty  days  they 
returned,  bearing  a  cluster  of  grapes  between  two  upon  a  staff; 
also  some  pomegranates  and  some  figs.  And  as  they  stood  in  the 
midst  of  assembled  Israel,  all  eyes  rested  on  them — all  ears  were 
open  to  hear  their  report.  The  land  w^as  good,  they  said,  flowing 
with  milk  and  honey ;  but  the  people  were  strong,  and  their  cities 
walled,  and  very  great.  Two  men  alone  of  the  twelve  stood 
boldly  forward,  Caleb  and  Joshua  ;  and  Caleb  said,  "  Let  us  go 
up  at  once,  for  we  are  well  able  to  overcome  it."  But  the  peo- 
ple wept  that  night,  and  bade  stone  Caleb  with  stones. — Numb. 
xiv.,  10.  And  God  was  angry,  and  said  the  congregation  should 
die  in  the  wilderness.  "  But  my  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had 
another  spirit  with  Kim,  and  hath  followed  me  full}^  him  will  I 
bring  into  the  land  whereinto  he  went ;  and  his  seed  shall  possess 
it." 

Doctrine. — It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

I.   What  it  is  to  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

1.  To  follow  Christ  all  our  days.  This  was  the  way  with  Caleb ; 
he  followed  the  Lord  all  his  days — he  followed  him  fully.  We 
find  it  recorded  of  him,  forty  years  after,  when  he  was  an  old 
man  of  eighty-five,  that  "  he  wholly  followed  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel."  He  did  not  follow  God  for  a  time,  or  by  fits  and  starts, 
but  all  his  days — he  followed  him  fully. 

(1.)  The7-e  are  many  like  Lot's  wife,  who  flee  out  of  Sodom  for 
a  while.  She  was  greatly  alarmed — the  angels  laid  hands  upon 
her — she  heard  the  words  of  warning,  and  fled  for  a  time  ;  but 
she  soon  gave  up — she  looked  back,  and  became  a  pillar  of  salt. 
So,  many  are  awakened  and  flee  for  their  life  ;  they  weep  ;  pray ; 
seek  salvation;  but  they  do  not  hold  out — they  are  allured  by  an 
old  companion  or  a  favorite  lust,  and  so  they  draw  back.  (2.) 
Many  are  like  those  in  John  vi. :  They  follow  Jesus  for  a  time, 
and  are  called  his  disciples ;  they  hear  the  gracious  words  that 
proceed  out  of  his  mouth  ;  but  by  and  by  some  discovery  of  doc- 
trine or  duty  is  made  which  offends  them  :  "  From  that  time  many 
of  his  disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Jesus."  It 
is  those  who  never  go  back  that  follow  him  fully.  (3.)  Many  are 
like  the  Galatians.  When  Paul  first  preached  to  them,  they  re- 
ceived him  "  as  an  angel  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus."  They 
spoke  of  the  blessedness  of  being  in  Christ,  and  the  great  salvation. 


SERMON    LXXX,  465 

They  loved  Paul,  so  that  if  it  had  been  possible  they  would  have 
plucked  out  their  own  eyes  and  given  them  to  him  (Gal.  iv.,  15)  ; 
and  yet  they  did  not  follow  the  Lord  fully.  They  were  soon  re- 
moved from  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  another  gospel.  "  O  foolish 
Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched  you  ?"  And  now  they  hated  Paul 
for  speaking  the  truth  to  them.  So  with  many  of  you.  This  is 
not  following  fully.  (4.)  Many  in  affliction  begin  to  follow  Christ. 
— Ps.  Ixxviii,,  34.  When  laid  on  a  sick-bed,  or  when  some  be- 
reavement occurs,  they  take  to  their  Bible ;  begin  to  weep  and 
pray.  But  the  world  comes  back  upon  them  ;  temptation,  old 
companions;  and  they  go  back.  They  do  not  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

Ah  !  how  many  in  this  congregation  are  witnesses  that  ye  have, 
not  followed  the  Lord  fully.  Ye  did  run  well,  who  did  hinder 
you?  How  many  of  you  were  impressed  !  Divine  things  ap- 
peared great  and  precious  in  your  eyes — you  came  to  the  Lord's 
table;  you  sat  down  with  solemnity — and  where  are  you  now? 
Have  you  not  gone  quickly  out  of  the  way  ? 

2.   Those  of  you  who  would  follow  Christ  fully  all  your  days. 

(1.)  Must  be  like  Lot:  Not  only  flee  from  Sodom,  but  flee  to 
Zoar — you  must  not  resist  in  convictions,  however  deep.  It  is  a 
good  thing  to  be  awakened,  but,  ah  !  you  are  not  saved.  If  you 
would  follow  Christ  fully,  you  must  get  fully  into  Christ.  (2.) 
You  must  continue  in  his  word^  "  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews 
that  believed  on  him,  If  ye  contin.ue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my 
disciples  indeed." — John  viii.,  31.  Remember  ye  are  saved  by  the 
Gospel,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye 
have  believed  in  vain."  You  must  be  like  Mary,  who  sat  at  his 
feet  and  heard  his  word.  (3.)  You  must  be  like  aged  Simeon  : 
"  Behold,  there  was  a  man  in  Jerusalem  whose  name  was  Simeon, 
the  same  was  just  and  devout,  waiting  for  the  Consolation  of 
Israel."  Perhaps  he  was  converted  when  a  young  man^;  but  it 
was  no  slight  work — soon  over ;  he  followed  the  Lord  fully  all 
his  days  ;  and  now,  when  he  was  an  old  man,  he  was  still  waiting 
for  the  Consolation  of  Israel.  He  followed  the  Lord  fully,  and 
now  he  follows  the  Lamb  in  paradise.  (4.)  You  must  be  like  the 
palm  tree :  "  The  righteous  shall  flourish  like  the  palm  tree  ;  he 
shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon.  Those  that  he  planted  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God.  They 
shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flou- 
rishing."— Ps.  xcii.  The  palm  tree  and  cedar  have  both  this 
wonderful  property,  that  they  are  fruitful  to  the  last :  and  so  it  is 
with  the  living  believer;  he  is  a  Christian  to  the  last — full  of 
the  Spirit,  full  of  love,  full  of  holiness  to  the  last.  Like  fine 
wine,  the  older  the  better.  "  The  path  of  the  just  is  like  the  shin- 
ing light  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."  (5.) 
You  must  be  like  Paul.  From  the  day  of  his  conversion,  Paul 
was  a  new  creature.  The  love  of  Christ  constrained  him,  and  he 
lived  no  more  unto  himself,  but  unto  him  that  died  for  him,  and  rose 
30 


466  SERMON    LXXX. 

again.  We  never  hear  of  his  slackening  his  pace,  or  giving  over 
fighting :  "  Forgetting  the  things  that  are  behind,  and  reaching 
forth  unto  the  tilings  that  are  before,  I  press  towards  the  mark." 
Even  when  an  old  man,  he  did  not  lose  the  fire  of  his  love,  or 
zeal,  or  compassion  :  "I  am  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  hour  of 
my  departure  is  at  hand  ;  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finish- 
ed my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith."  He  followed  the  Lord  fully  : 
he  never  looked  back,  he  never  halted,  he  never  slumbered,  he  was 
a  second  Caleb.     So  must  you  be,  if  you  would  be  saved. 

"  He  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved."  Not  he  that  has 
a  good  beginning,  but  he  that  follows  fully. 

II.   To  follow  Christ  ivith  all  the  heart. 

This  was  the  way  in  which  Caleb  followed  the  Lord,  with  all 
his  heart',  fully.  He  had  no  inconsistencies — he  followed  the  Lord 
in  all  he  did. 

1.  The  77iost  of  Christians  do  not  follow  the  Lord  fully — the 
most  have  some  inconsistency.  Most  do  not  reflect  Christ's  image 
in  every  part.  The  most  do  not  think  it  attainable  :  they  are  dis- 
couraged from  seeking  it.  Many  do  not  think  it  desirable  ;  at 
least  they  think  it  better  for  the  time  to  have  this  and  that  weak- 
ness. 

(1.)  Some  do  not  follow  Christ  in  his  lowliness.  Christ  com- 
pared himself  to  the  lily  of  the  valleys:  "  I  am  the  rose  of  Sharon, 
and  the  lily  of  the  valleys."  This  was  to  express  his  lowliness — 
his  genuine  humility.  Although  he  had  no  sin  of  his  own  to  make 
him  humble,  yet  he  was  humble  in  his  own  nature.  He  did  not 
vaunt  himself — did  not  seek  the  flattery  of  men.  Some  do  not 
follow  Christ  in  this.  Some  who  seem  really  saved  persons,  yet 
have  this  unlikeness  to  Christ.  They  are  proud — proud  of  being 
saved,  proud  of  grace,  proud  of  being  diffl'rent  from  others. 
(2.)  Some  do  not  follow  Christ  in  his  self-denial.  He  was  rich, 
yet  for  our  sakes  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might 
be  rich.  While  we  were  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  He  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head.  Yet  many  who  seem  to  be  Christians  seek 
their  own  comfort  and  ease  before  everything  else.  They  do  not 
drink  into  Christ's  Spirit  in  this.  (3.)  Some  do  not  follow  his  love. 
Christ  was  love.  He  descended  out  of  love ;  lay  in  the  manger 
out  of  love  ;  lived  a  life  of  sinless  obedience  out  of  love  ;  died  out 
of  love.  Yet  some  who  are  Christians  do  not  follow  him  in  this  ; 
do  not  love  as  he  loved.  Some  have  little  compassion  upon  sin- 
ners ;  can  sit  at  ease  in  their  own  houses,  and  see  a  world  perish 
for  lack  of  knowledge.     How  few  will  do  anything  out  of  love  ! 

2.  Many  Christians  have  a  time  of  decay. 

(1.)  So  it  was  with  Ephesus.  At  one  time  they  were  "  blessed 
with  spiritual  blessings" — "  chosen  to  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  him  in  love."  They  were  followers  of  God,  as  dear  chil- 
dren, and  walked  in  love,  as  Christ  loved  them.     But  a  time  of 


SERMON    LXXX,  467 

decay  followed,  and  Christ  says  :  "  I  have  this  against  thee,  that 
thou  hast  left  thy  first  love."  They  were  not  like  Caleb  :  they 
did  not  follow  the  Lord  fully.  (2.)  So  it  was  with  David.  When 
he  fell  into  gross  and  open  sin,  his  whole  soul  seemed  to  decay  for 
a  time,  all  his  bones  seemed  to  be  broken,  and  he  feared  that  God 
would  take  away  the  Spirit  from  him  for  ever.  He  did  not  fol- 
low the  Lord  fully.  (3.)  So  it  was  with  Solomon.  When  Solomon 
began  to  reign,  it  seemed  as  if  he  would  follow  the  Lord  fully. 
The  Lord  appeared  to  him  in  Gibeon,  saying  :  "  Ask  what  I  shall 
give  thee."  "  God  gave  Solomon  wisdom  and  understanding,  ex- 
ceeding much  ;  and  largeness  of  heart,  even  as  the  sand  that  is  on 
the  sea-shore."  And  God  enabled  him  to  build  the  temple,  and 
blessed  him  in  all  things.  Yet  did  Solomon  suffer  a  sad  decay  : 
"  He  loved  many  strange  women.  For  it  came  to  pass,  when 
Solomon  was  old,  that  his  wives  turned  away  his  heart  after  other 
gods,  and  his  heart  was  not  perfect  with  the  Lord  his  God,  as  was 
the  heart  of  David  his  father."  He  did  not  follow  the  Lord  fully. 
(4.)  So  it  was  with  Asa.  *'  Asa  did  that  which  was  good  and  right 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  his  God." — 2  Chron.  xiv. :  By  his  faith  he 
overcame  the  Ethiopian  army  of  a  thousand  thousand.  He  also 
made  a  covenant,  and  all  Judah  rejoiced  at  the  oath.  Yet  he  suf- 
fered a  sad  decay.  For  when  the  king  of  Israel  came  against 
him,  his  faith  failed  him.  And  when  he  was  old,  he  was  diseased 
in  his  feet ;  nevertheless  he  sought  not  to  the  Lord,  but  to  the 
physicians.  He  did  not  follow  the  Lord  fully.  (.5.)  So  it  was 
with  the  five  virgins.  They  were  wise,  and  took  oil  with  them  in 
their  vessels  with  their  lamps  ;  yet  while  the  bridegroom  tarried, 
they  all  slumbered  and  slept.  They  suffered  a  sad  decay.  They 
did  not  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

Ah  !  this  must  not  be  the  way  with  you,  if  you  would  be  like 
Caleb,  and  follow  the  Lord  fully.  You  must  follow  him  without 
any  inconsistency,  and  without  any  decay. 

1.  You  must  he  like  those  that  say :  ^^ lam  the  Lord's.'^  "One 
shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's."  God  says,  "  My  son,  give  me 
thine  heart."  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price,  ye  are  not  your  own. 
If  you  would  be  a  Caleb,  you  must  give  yourself  away  to  him, 
you  must  give  away  your  understanding,  will,  and  affections, 
your  body  and  all  its  members,  your  eyes  and  tongue,  your  hands 
and  feet :  so  that  you  are  in  no  respect  your  own,  but  his  alone. 
Oh,  it  is  sweet  to  give  up  yourself  to  God,  to  be  filled  with  his 
Spirit,  to  be  ruled  by  his  Word  ;  a  little  vessel  full  of  him,  a 
vessel  to  bear  his  name,  a  vessel  afore  prepared  unto  glory  !  This 
is  to  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

2.  You  must  he  changed  into  the  same  image.  ''  We  all,  with 
open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord." — 2  Cor.  ii.,  18.  Our  foolish  hearts  think  it 
better  to  retain  some  part  of  Satan's  image,  but,  ah  !  this  is  our 


468  SERMON    LXXX. 

happiness,  to  reflect  every  feature  of  Jesus,  and  that  for  ever,  to 
have  no  inconsistency,  to  be  hke  him  in  every  part ;  to  love  Uke 
him,  to  weep  hke  him,  to  pray  Hke  him,  to  be  changed  into  his 
likeness :  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with  thy  likeness." 

3.  You  must  have  his  whole  law  written  in  your  hearts.  "  I  will 
•put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts." 
This  is  your  chief  happiness,  to  let  every  commandment  have  its 
proper  place  in  your  heart,  to  have  it  graven  deep  there,  so  that 
it  cannot  be  effaced.     This  is  to  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

III.  To  follow  Christ  at  all  hazards. 

So  it  was  with  Caleb.     The  congregation  bade  stone  him  with 

stones  ;  still  he  did  not  care,  he  would  do  his  duty,  whatever  evil 

should  bei'all  him.     He  followed  the  Lord  fully.     Ah !  there  are 

\    many  that  follow  Christ  in  the  sunshine,  that  will  not  follow  him 

'  '  in  the  storm.     When  the  winter  comes,  the  swallows  fly  away. 

There  are  many  like  the  swallows.     Many  do  not  follow  fully. 

1.  Reproach  makes  many  stagger.  As  long  as  it  is  fashionable 
to  be  religious,  and  a  man's  character  is  advanced  by  it,  rather 
than  otherwise,  then  many  follow  Christ ;  but  when  it  becomes  a 
proverb  and  a  byword,  many  are  offended.  Butterflies  come  out 
when  the  sun  is  warm  ;  but  a  shower  of  rain  makes  them  hide. 
2.  When  meji  lose  their  worldly  ease.  When  Paul  and  Barnabas 
were  going  to  Asia,  they  took  John  Mark  along  with  them  ;  but 
when  the  work  appeared  dangerous,  he  went  back. — Acts  xv., 
37. 

If  we  would  follow  the  Lord  fully,  we  must  go  througMlgood 
and  bad  report. 

L  If  we  would  follow  Christ  fully,  we  must  bear  his  reproach  : 
"  Let  us  go  out  to  him  without  the  camp,  bearing  his  reproach." 
We  must  bear  the  reproach  even  of  our  nearest  friends  :  "  He  that 
loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me  ;  and 
he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of 
me."  We  would  fain  go  to  heaven  without  reproach,  but  it 
cannot  be,  if  we  go  the  narrow  way,  and  follow  Christ  fully. 

2.  We  must  not  think  of  ease  if  we  follow  Christ  fully.  Christ 
trod  a  thorny  path  :  he  was  crowned  with  thorns  ;  we  must  not 

\[  think  to  be  crowned  with  roses.     Paul  says,  "  For  whom  have  I 
r  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I 
may  win  Christ." 

3.  We  must  be  willing  to  lose  our  life :  "  Neither  count  I  my 
life  dear  unto  myself;"  "The  time  cometh,  when  whoso  killeth  you 
shall  think  that  he  doeth  God  service  ;"  "  Whoso  findeth  his  life 
shall  lose  it ;"  "  Be  faithful  unto  death  ;"  "  They  overcame  him  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the 
death." 

Oh !  it  is  sweet  to  follow  Christ  fully,  for  then  we  shall  reign 


SERMON    LXXX.  469 

with  him.     If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  reign  with  him.     If 
we  deny  him,  he  will  deny  us. 

IV.  How  we  may  he  enabled  to  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

1.  By  keeping  the  eye  upon  him.  This  was  what  enabled  Caleb 
to  follow  the  Lord  fully.  He  endured  as  seeing  him  who  was 
invisible  ;  he  set  the  Lord  always  before  him.  If  Caleb  had  been 
seeking  a  name,  or  his  own  wealth,  fame,  or  honor,  he  would  not 
have  followed  fully,  he  could  not  have  followed  all  his  days,  nor 
with  all  his  heart,  nor  at  all  hazards. 

If  you  would  follow  Christ  fully,  you  must  know  him  fully. 
(L)  It  is  a  sight  of  his  beauty  that  draws  us  to  follow  him.  "  He 
is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely."  "And  I, 
if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me.''  There  is  an  inde- 
scribable loveliness  in  Christ  that  draws  the  soul  to  follow  him. 
All  divine  perfections  dwell  in  him,  and  yet  he  offers  to  save  us. 
(2.)  His  suitableness.  He  just  answers  the  need  of  our  soul. 
We  are  all  guilt,  he  is  all  righteousness.  We  all  weakness,  he 
all  strength.  Nothing  can  more  completely  answer  our  soul  than 
Christ  doth.  The  chickens  run  under  the  feathers  of  their  mother 
when  they  see  them  stretched  out,  the  dove  flutters  into  the  clefts, 
Noah  into  the  ark ;  and  our  soul  thus  follows  Jesus.  (3.)  His 
freeness.  "  He  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  He  forgives  seventy 
times  seven.  It  is  the  keeping  the  eye  on  Christ  that  makes  you 
follow  him.  It  is  seeing  the  King  in  his  beauty  that  makes  the 
soul  cleave  to  him,  and  run  after  him.  "  My  soul  followeth  hard 
after  thee."     "  Run  the  race  set  before  you,  looking  unto  Jesus." 

2.  By  having  the  Holy  Spirit,  Caleb  had  another  spirit.  The 
other  spies  were  carnal  men  ;  but  Caleb  had  another  spirit,  he  had 
the  Holy  Spirit  dwelling  in  him,  leading  him,  upholding  and  re- 
newing him.  So  with  all  who  follow  the  Lord  fully.  (1.)  The 
Spirit  of  God  in  the  soul  is  a  constant  stream,  a  well  of  water 
springing  up  unto  everlasting  life.  Lot's  wife  looked  back  ;  but 
she  had  not  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  (2.)  The  Spirit  is 
a  filling  Spirit,  he  loves  to  fill  the  heart,  to  fill  every  chamber. 
"  Be  filled  with  the  Spirit."  "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you." 
He  loves  to  write  the  whole  law  on  the  heart,  to  lift  the  whole 
soul  to  God. 

V.  The  motives  to  follow  to  the  Lord  fully. 

"  Him  will  I  bring  into  the  land."  The  other  spies  died  of  the 
plague,  the  people  fell  in  the  wilderness ;  but  Caleb  and  Joshua, 
because  they  followed  the  Lord  fully,  were  received  into  the  land. 

1,  It  is  the  only  happy  life.  There  is  no  happier  life  under  the 
sun  than  to  follow  Christ  all  our  days.  There  is  not  a  more  mise- 
rable creature  on  earth  than  a  backslider.  Every  time  we  turn 
aside  from  following  Christ,  we  are  providing  misery  for  ourselves, 
hidings,  desertions,  and  bi-oken  bones.     The  only  happy  life  is  to 


470  SERMON    LXXXI. 

follow  with  all  our  heart.  We  generally  think  it  is  happy  to  have 
this  or  that  idol,  but  we  are  quite  mistaken.  Your  true  happiness 
is  in  self-surrender,  in  giving  up  your  heart  and  all  to  him.  Any 
one  inconsistency  mars  your  joys,  mars  communion.  Are  you  not 
far  happier  in  your  times  of  closest  walking  with  God  ?  O  that  it 
were  so  with  me  always  !  Decays  bring  darkness  and  misery. 
The  only  happiness  is  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things.  Many 
Christians  are  not  willing  to  deny  themselves,  to  suffer  for  Christ's 
sake,  not  willing  to  bear  reproach  or  persecution.  Christ  will 
give  a  hundred  fold  more ;  peace  of  conscience. 

2.  This  is  the  way  to  he  useful.  It  is  the  thriving  Christian  that 
is  the  useful  Christian,  the  one  that  follows  Christ  fully.  The 
blessing  to  Abraham  was  :  "  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thee  a 
blessing."  This  was  eminently  true  of  Paul.  He  followed  Christ 
fully  ;  and  what  a  blessing  he  was  !  So  would  you  be,  if  you  fol- 
lowed Christ  fully.  If  you  bore  all  the  features  of  Christ  about 
with  you,  what  a  blessing  would  you  be  to  the  place  and  to  the 
world  !  not  a  cumberer  of  the  ground.  How  useful  to  your  chil- 
dren and  neighbors  ! 

3.  This  is  the  way  to  die  happily.  If  you  die  the  death  of  Christ's 
people,  you  must  live  their  life.  Inconsistent  Christians  generally 
have  a  painful  death-bed  ;  but  those  that  follow  Christ  fully  can 
die  like  aged  Paul,  "  I  am  ready  to  be  offered  ;"  like  Job,  "  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth." 

4.  This  will  insure  a  great  reward.  Every  man  shall  be  re- 
warded according  as  his  work  has  been.  Some  will  be  made 
rulers  over  five,  some  over  ten  cities.  I  have  no  doubt  that  every 
sin,  inconsistency,  backsliding,  and  decay  of  God's  children,  takes 
away  something  from  their  eternal  glory.  It  is  a  loss  for  all  eter- 
nity ;  and  the  more  fully  and  unreservedly  we  follow  the  Lord 
Jesus  now,  the  more  abundant  will  our  entrance  be  into  his  ever- 
lasting kingdom.  The  closer  we  walk  with  Christ  now,  the  closer 
will  we  walk  with  him  to  all  eternity.  "  Thou  hast  a  few  names 
in  Sardis  which  have  not  defiled  their  garments.  They  shall  walk 
with  me  in  white,  for  they  are  worthy."     Amen. 

Dundee,  1842. 


SERMON  LXXXI. 

THE    UNWORTHY    COMMUNICANT    WARNED. 

"  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to 
himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body.  For  this  cause  many  are  weak  and 
sickly  among  you,  and  many  sleep." — 1  Cor.  xi.,  29,  30. 

When  it  pleased  God  lately  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  in  a  remarkable 


SERMON    LXXXI. 


471 


manner  on  one  of  the  parishes  of  Scotland,  I  was  told  by  the 
minister  that  the  sin  that  took  deepest  hold  upon  the  consciences 
of  the  people,  was  the  sin  of  tuiworlhy  communicating.  He  told 
me  it  was  a  most  affecting  sight,  to  see  aged  persons  of  threescore 
and  ten  sitting  weeping  over  the  broken  sacraments  of  bygone 
years.  If  it  shall  please  God  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  on  the  grown- 
up part  of  this  congregation,  I  feel  deeply  persuaded  that  this 
dreadful  sin  of  unworthy  communicating  will  be  like  a  mill-stone 
around  most  of  your  necks.  Yes,  my  dear  friends,  God  has  a 
controversy  with  you  about  this  matter,  and  he  will  either  plead 
with  you  in  time  or  in  eternity. 

1.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  eating  and  drinking  unworthily. 
Even  in  the  days  of  the  Apostle  Paul  this  sin  existed  ;  and  so  it 
does  in  our  day.  There  are  many  at  the  Lord's  table  who  should 
not  be  there.  There  are  many  who  come  without  the  wedding 
garment ;  many  who  displease  and  provoke  God  by  coming  ; 
many  who  will  repent  it  to  all  eternity. 

2.  They  get  no  good  by  it,  but  great  evil.  They  eat  and  drink 
damnation  to  themselves.  They  think  they  are  eating  harmless 
bread  and  wine  ;  or  perhaps  they,  think  they  are  covering  the  sins 
of  the  past  six  months  by  eating ;  whereas  God  says  they  are  eat- 
ing and  drinking  damnation  to  themselves.  It  is  as  if  they  were 
eating  poison. 

3.  He  explains  wherein  their  unworthiness  consists  :  They  do 
not  discern  the  Lord's  body.  The  phrase  here  used  is  evidently 
taken  from  the  sense  of  taste  in  the  human  body,  whereby  we  dis- 
cern between  different  kinds  of  food.  To  discern  the  Lord's  body, 
is  to  have  a  peculiar  taste  or  relish  for  the  way  of  salvation  by 
Christ  and  him  crucified.  When  a  heavy  laden  sinner  feels  the 
power  of  the  Gospel ;  when  he  sees  the  sweetness,  freeness,  and 
fulness  of  Christ,  he  then  tastes  or  discerns  the  Lord's  body. 
But  those  who  have  not  come  to  Christ,  have  never  got  this  taste, 

'  this  relish  for  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ.  They  may  be  very 
decent,  good-natured  people  ;  they  may  read  die  Bible,  and  keep 
up  a  form  of  godliness  ;  but  they  have  never  tasted  the  honey 
in  the  clefts  of  the  Rock.  These  are  they  who  profane  the  Lord's 
table. 

I.  None  should  come  to  the  Lord's  supper  hut  those  who  discern 
the  Lord's  body  :  i.  e.,  have  a  true  relish  for  Christ. 

1.  From  the  actions  of  the  communicant.  You  do  not  come 
to  look  at  the  bread  and  wine,  but  to  feed  upon  them.  You 
stretch  out  the  hand,  and  take  of  the  bread  and  eat  it ;  you  take 
the  wine  and  drink  it.  Now,  since  that  bread  and  wine  represent 
the  Lord's  body,  it  is  plain  to  a  child,  that  the  meaning  of  that 
action  is  :  "I  relish  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  my  manna,  my 
sweet  food,  my  only  way  of  pardon,  peace  and  holiness,  my  Lord 
and  my  God."     When  a  hungry  beggar  comes  to  your  door,  and 


472  SERMON    LXXXI. 

you  give  liim  a  piece  of  wholesome  bread,  how  gladly  does  he 
catch  at  it,  and  begin  to  eat  it !  Why  ?  Because  he  relishes 
it ;  it  is  what  he  requires.  Such  is  your  feeding  at  the  Lord's 
table.  You  thereby  declare  that  Christ  is  your  Saviour,  your 
manna,  your  all.  When  the  man  found  the  treasure  in  the  field, 
he  was  glad,  and  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had  ancl  bought  that 
field.  Such  is  your  declaration  in  coming  to  the  Lord's  table  ; 
Christ  is  precious  to  me  ;  I  have  left  all  for  him.  The  bride  in 
the  Song  of  Solomon  says  :  "  As  the  apple  tree  among  the  trees 
of  the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.  I  sat  down 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to 
my  taste."  So  do  you  say  in  coming  to  the  Lord's  table :  I 
have  found  rest  in  the  shade  of  Christ ;  his  fruit  is  sweet  to 
me  ;  his  way  of  pardon,  his  Spirit,  his  commands — all  are  sweet 
to  my  taste.  When  the  maniac  had  the  devils  cast  out,  he  sat 
at  the  feet  of  Jesus  clothed,  and  in  his  right  mind.  Once  he  bade 
Jesus  depart :  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?"  Now  Christ  is 
all.  Such  is  your  declaration  at  the  Lord's  table.  When  Paul 
was  an  unconverted  man,  he  was  a  blasphemer — he  breathed  out 
threatenings  ;  but  when  he  got  a  taste  of  Jesus,  he  said  :  "  I 
count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  ol 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord."  Such  is  your  declaration  in  taking  that 
bread  and  wine. 

Can  you  truly  say  that  you  have  found  the  treasure,  that  you 
have  sold  all  for  it,  that  you  have  sat  down  under  the  shade  of  that 
apple  tree,  and  that  you  delight  in  his  holy  fruit ;  that  you  were 
once  far  from  Christ,  but  now  sitting  at  his  feet ;  that  you  now 
preach  the  faith  which  once  you  destroyed  ;  that,  like  Paul,  you 
glory  only  in  the  cross  of  Christ?  Can  you  say,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  that  Christ  is  your  manna,  your  sweet  food,  your  peace,  your 
all  ?  Then  you  are  welcome  to  the  Lord's  table.  Eat,  O  friends  ; 
drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  beloved. 

Most  of  you  cannot  say  this.  You  have  not  found  the  treasure. 
Will  you  come  to  the  Lord's  table?  To  what  purpose?  You 
will  eat  and  drink  unworthily.  It  will  provoke  God  in  a  dreadful 
manner.  You  will  repent  it  when  you  die.  You  will  grieve  on 
account  of  it  to  all  eternity.  Some  even  perpetrate  in  half  an 
hour  what  they  will  mourn  for  ever  and  ever.  Judas,  in  eternal 
torments,  bewails  his  sin  and  folly.     So  will  you. 

2.  From  the  words  of  Jesus :  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 
An  unconverted  man  cannot  remember  Christ ;  for  he  hath  never 
seen  him,  neither  known  him.  A  man  who  never  tasted  honey, 
cannot  remember  the  taste  of  it ;  so  a  man  who  never  had  a  saving 
taste  of  the  sweetness  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  cannot  possibly  remem- 
ber him.  Indeed,  there  is  a  kind  of  remembrance  of  Christ  that 
any  man  may  have.  You  may  remember  the  events  of  his  life ; 
that  he  was  born  in  a  stable  ;  that  he  walked  on  the  Lake  of  Gali- 
lee ;  that  he  wept  over  Jerusalem  ;  that  he  prayed  in  Gethsemane  ; 


SERMON    LXXXI.  473 

that  he  died  on  the  cross  in  Calvary ;  but  even  the  devils  can 
remember  Christ  in  this  way.  They  remember  all  his  history 
much  more  perfectly  than  we  do.  Satan  has  more  knowledge  of 
divine  things  than  many  doctors  of  divinity.  And  lost  souls  in 
•eternal  misery  remember  Jesus;  they  remember  all  he  did,  and 
all  he  suffered,  and  how  often  he  would  have  saved  them.  Judas, 
in  his  place  in  hell,  remembers  Jesus.  But,  ah !  this  is  not  the 
saving  remembrance  of  Jesus  which  we  have  at  the  Lord's  table. 

When  a  laboring,  heavy  laden  sinner  is.  brought  to  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  he  finds  a  joy  and  peace  in  believing  he  never  felt  before. 
He  gets  a  discovery  of  the  love  of  Christ  that  he  never  had  before  ; 
the  love  of  Jesus  in  coming  for  the  ungodly,  and  dying  for  them  ; 
the  freeness  of  Christ  to  every  creature  ;  to  sinners,  even  the  chief; 
to  publicans  and  sinners  coming  to  him ;  the  wisdom  and  excel- 
lency of  this  way  of  salvation ;  the  amazing  glory  and  perfection 
of  the  righteousness  of  God.  When  the  Spirit  thus  takes  the  veil 
from  the  eyes,  he  gets  a  sight  of  Christ  which  he  never  will,  and 
never  can  forget.  This  is  the  spiritual  relish  and  discerning  of 
the  Lord's  body.  Every  new  exhibition  of  Jesus  calls  up  again 
this  sweet  sense  of  his  goodness  and  beauty.  He  cannot  hear  his 
name  but  his  heart  is  caught  away  to  him.  His  name  is  like  oint- 
ment. When  ministers  preach  his  Word,  the  memory  rushes 
back  to  Jesus ;  and  when  the  broken  bread  and  wine  are  set 
before  his  eyes,  his  heart  is  drawn  away  to  remember  Jesus.  As 
when  the  widows  stood  by  Peter  weeping,  showing  the  coats  and 
garments  that  Dorcas  had  made,  every  new  piece  of  handiwork 
of  their  departed  friend  called  up  fresh  love  in  their  bosom,  and 
iVesh  tears  to  their  eyes.  So  to  those  thai  know  Jesus,  the  broken 
bread  and  poured-out  wine  stir  up  their  inmost  souls  to  remember 
Jesus. 

Have  you  this  sanctified  memory  ?  Do  you  remember  when 
the  name  of  Christ  was  all  a  blank  to  you?  and  is  it  now  like  oint- 
ment poured  forth  ?  Do  you  remember  when  first  you  saw  the 
Lord,  or  if  not  the  very  time,  do  you  feel  the  amazing  change  that 
has  been  wrought  in  you  ?  Then  welcome  ;  "  This  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me." 

But  most,  T  fear,  have  no  such  memory.  You  have  no  gracious 
discovery  of  Christ  to  remember.  You  have  never  discerned  the 
Lord's  body.  You  say  you  will  remember  his  life  and  death. 
Why,  devils  could  do  that.  Would  it  not  shock  you  to  see  devils 
seated  at  the  Lord's  table  ?  and  yet  they  have  as  much  right  to  sit 
there  as  unconverted  souls. 

3.  From  the  practice  of  the  apostles. — One  example  :  The  Ethi- 
opian eunuch, was  "a  man  of  great  authority  under  Candace, 
queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  and  had  the  charge  of  all  her  treasure." 
Acts  viii-.,  27.  By  the  amazing  grace  of  God  this  man  became 
concerned  about  his  soul :  a  Bible  had  come  in  his  way,  and  per- 


474  SERMON    LXXXI. 

haps  some  wandering  messenger  of  mercy.  He  eould  not  rest, 
but  left  his  country  to  go  to  Jerusalem.  There  he  found  no  peace, 
no  light.  Sad  and  weary  he  proceeded  on  his  journey  home. 
Still  his  heart  was  heavy ;  he  sat  reading  Isaiah  the  prophet.  By 
the  mercy  of  God,  Philip  was  sent  to  him,  and  in  his  chariot 
preached  to  him  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God.  O  what  a  new  world 
now  opened  to  the  Ethiopian  !  He  sees  the  way  of  righteousness 
without  works.  Now  they  come  to  water :  "  What  doth  hinder 
me  to  be  baptized?  If  thou  bclievcst  with  all  thine  heart  thou 
mayest.  I  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God.  So  they  went 
down  into  the  water,  and  Philip  baptized  him ;  and  he  went  on  his 
way  rejoicing."  Is  this  your  experience,  beloved?  Have  you 
sought  Christ  as  he  did?  Have  you  found  him  as  he  did?  Do 
you  believe  with  all  your  heart  ?  Then  the  Lord's  table  is  open 
to  you,  and  you  will  go  on  your  way  rejoicing. 

But,  ah  !  it  is  not  so  with  most.  If  some  of  you  had  been 
keeper  of  Candace's  treasures,  you  would  not  have  gone  the 
length  of  the  street  to  find  the  way  to  be  saved.  Some  of  you 
never  read  your  Bible  as  that  Ethiopian  did — never  sought  in- 
struction. You  dare  not  say  that  you  have  believed  with  all 
your  heart.  Why,  then,  would  you  sit  down  at  this  holy  table  ? 
You  may  come :  but,  alas  !  you  will  not  go  on  your  way  re- 
joicing. 

II.  It  is  very  dangerous. 

\.  They  are  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  There  is 
no  sin  less  thought  of  on  earth — there  is  no  sin  more  thought  of  in 
heaven  and  in  hell,  than  unworthy  communicating.  Those  who 
commit  it  are  sharing  with  those  who  betrayed  and  murdered  the 
Lord  Jesus.  They  share  with  them  in  two  respects. — (1.)  In 
pretending  love  and  friendship  towards  him  ;  (2.)  In  real  hatred  to 
him  in  their  hearts,  and  contempt  for  his  Gospel.  When  Judas 
betrayed  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  pretended  great  love  for  him.  He  had 
followed  him  during  all  the  years  of  his  ministry — had  preached 
in  his  name.  He  sat  very  reverently  at  the  Lord's  table ;  dipped 
his  hand  in  the  same  dish  with  Christ.  His  words  were  smoother 
than  butter ;  but  war  was  in  his  heart.  When  he  came  to  betray 
Christ  he  said :  "  Hail,  Master !"  and  kissed  him  ;  yet  all  the 
while  there  was  awful  hatred  in  his  heart — a  deadly  enmity  at 
Christ  and  his  Gospel. 

So  the  high  priests  and  Pharisees  pretended  great  zeal  for  God 
and  for  his  cause :  they  pretended  to  be  very  sanctified  and  holy 
men  ;  and  yet  they  hated  and  condemned  Christ  to  die.  The 
soldiers  of  Herod  pretended  great  respect  to  Christ,  when  they 
kneeled  to  him  and  said  :  "  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews  1"  but  all  the 
time  they  mocked  and  hated  him.  Pilate  pretended  much  to  be  a 
friend  of  Christ :  he  washed  his  hands,  and  said  :  "  I  am  guiltless 


SERMON    LXXXI.  475 

of  this  innocent  blood ;"  and  yet  he  condemned  him  to  be 
crucified. 

So  it  is  with  unworthy  communicants.  You  come  to  the  Lord's 
table  with  a  great  show  of  respect.  You  appear  deeply  solem- 
nized. You  take  the  bread  and  wine,  pretending  that  you  have 
been  converted  ;  that  Christ  is  your  portion.  You  appear  to  be 
under  deep  emotion.  Yet  all  the  while  you  despise  Christ  and 
his  people — ridicule  conversion,  and  the  life  of  grace.  "  Woe 
unto  that  man  !  it  had  been  good  for  him  that  he  had  never  been 
born." 

You  have  the  same  heart  as  Judas,  as  the  high  priest,  as  the 
soldiers,  as  Pilate.     You  are  guilty. 

2.  Eat  and  drink  judgment.  This  is  true  in  two  ways.  (1.)  It 
is  adding  another  sin,  heaping  another  mountain  on  the  burdened 
soul,  and  so  bringing  heavier  condemnation — sinliing  the  soul 
deeper.  (2.)  It  is  always  hardening  ;  all  sin  hardens,  but  especi- 
ally sinning  in  holy  things.  One  who  makes  jests  out  of  the 
Bible  is  hardly  ever  saved,  it  is  so  hardening.  But  of  all  sins 
against  holy  things,  unworthy  communicating  is  the  most  harden- 
ing ;  so  that  an  unconverted  man  communicating  does  often  lite- 
rally eat  and  drink  damnation  to  himself.  Just  as  a  child  of  God 
drinks  life,  so  he  drinks  death,  out  of  that  cup. 

Some  of  you  may  be  saying :  Though  I  be  unconverted,  I  will 
go  ;  for  though  it  do  me  no  good,  it  will  do  me  no  harm.  Is  it  no 
harm  to  add  another  sin  to  your  soul  ?  Is  it  no  harm  to  harden 
and  seal  your  heart  unto  perdition  ?  Is  it  no  harm  to  eat  and 
drink  judgment  to  yourself? 

Some  may  be  saying  :  I  hope  I  shall  cover  the  sins  of  my  past 
six  months  by  it.  Some  of  you,  who  have  only  been  once  or 
twice  at  church  all  that  time,  will  be  saying :  I  will  make  up  for 
past  neglect,  and  cover  my  sins.  Will  it  cover  your  past  sins,  to 
add  another  to  the  heap  ?  Will  it  atone  for  your  broken  Sabbaths, 
to  come  and  profane  the  sacrament  too?  Will  it  cover  sins  to 
eat  and  drink  judgment  ? 

3.  Many  weak  and  sickly,  and  many  sleep.  There  are  some 
sins  which  God  visits  with  temporal  judgments,  as  weakness  of 
body,  sickness,  and  death.  When  Ananias  and  Sapphira  lied  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  they  fell  down  dead  at  the  apostles'  feet.  When 
Herod  gave  not  God  the  glory,  he  was  eaten  up  of  worms,  and 
died  upon  his  throne.  So  it  is  especially  in  profaning  the  Lord's 
table.  This  is  God's  word,  who  knows  best ;  "  For  this  cause 
many  are  weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and  many  sleep."  The 
Lord  Jesus,  the  master  of  the  table,  has  all  providences  in  his  hand, 
and  he  can,  and  does,  make  use  of  them  to  bring  down  those  who 
insolently  profane  his  table.  J  ust  as  God  has  provided  a  real  hell 
of  material  fire  that  never  will  be  quenched,  in  order  to  affect  some 
gross  sinners,  who  would  not  be  moved  to  flee  from  anything  but 
bodily  pain  ;  so  in  the  Lord's  supper  it  pleases  God  to  make  use  of 


476  SERMON    LXXXII. 

sickness  and  death  to  keep  off  profane  hands  from  that  bread  and 
wine.  I  have  often  observed  God  doing  this.  I  remember  three 
deaths  which  took  place  in  such  a  way  and  at  such  a  time,  that  I 
could  not  doubt  it  was  the  fulfilment  of  this  verse.  Watch  and 
see,  beloved  ! 

Take  heed,  then,  O  beloved,  lest  when  the  bread  is  in  your  mouth 
you  should  fall  down  dead.  Ah  !  it  is  an  awful  thing  to  die  pro- 
faning the  Lord's  table  ;  for  you  will  sink  lower  than  the  grave. 

"  Therefore,  let  a  man  examine  himself"  What  are  your  real 
motives  for  coming  to  the  Lord's  table  ?  Is  it  because  you  are 
come  to  a  certain  time  of  life  1  But  are  you  born  again  ?  Is  it 
because  your  family  are  coming  ?  Is  it  for  a  name  ?  Is  it  for 
money  ?  Ah  !  Judas  over  again.  Is  it  to  get  baptism  for  your 
child  ?  That  is  to  commit  one  sin  to  help  you  to  commit  another. 
Is  it  to  praise  him  for  what  he  has  done  for  your  soul  ? — Ps. 
cxvi.  Is  it  to  show  the  world  whom  you  have  chosen  ?  Is  it  to 
get  nearer  to  Jesus  ?  Come,  then,  and  lean  on  his  breast,  and 
never  draw  back.  Amen. 
Dundee,  1S41. 


SERMON  LXXKII. 

MORE    BLESSED    TO    GIVE    THAN    TO   RECEIVE. 

"  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." — Acts  xx.,  35. 

These  words  form  part  of  a  most  touching  address  which  Paul 
made  to  the  ministers  of  Ephesus,  when  he  parted  with  them 
for  the  last  time.  He  took  them  all  to  witness  that  he  was  pure 
from  the  blood  of  all  men  :  "  For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare 
unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God."  It  is  deeply  interesting  to  notice 
that  the  duty  of  giving  to  the  poor  is  marked  by  him  as  one  part 
of  the  counsel  of  God  ;  so  much  so,  that  he  makes  it  his  last  word 
to  them  :  "  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  laboring  ye 
ought  to  support  the  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  re- 
ceive." These  words,  which  he  quotes  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Saviour,  are  nowhere  to  be  found  in  the  Gospels.  It  is  the  only 
traditional  saying  of  our  Lord  that  has  been  preserved.  It  seems 
to  have  been  one  of  his  household  words — a  common-place — 
uttered  by  him  again  and  again  ;  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive." 

I  am  glad  of  having  this  opportunity  of  laying  before  you  this 

part  of  the  counsel  of  God  ;  for  God  knows  there  is  no  part  of  it 

.*  I  wish  to  keep  back  from  you — that  you  ought' to  labor  to  sup- 


SERMON    LXXXII.  477 

port  the  weak  ;  and  the  only  argument  I  shall  use  with  you  is  that 
of  our  blessed  Lord :  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

I.  We  should  give  liberally  to  the  poor,  because  it  is  a  happier 
thing  to  give  than  to  receive. 

It  is  happy,  because  it  is  like  all  happy  beings.  All  happy  be- 
ings are  giving  beings  ;  their  happiness  consists  not  in  receiving, 
but  in  giving. 

1.  Angels.  The  whole  Bible  shows  that  the  angels  are  happy 
beings  ;  far  happier  than  we  can  conceive.  (1.)  They  are  holy 
beings — ever  doing  God's  commandments.  Now,  holiness  and 
happiness  are  inseparable.  (2.)  They  are  in  heaven — always  in 
the  smile  of  their  Fathei\  They  "  do  always  behold  the  face  of 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;"  they  must  be  happy — no  tear 
on  their  cheek,  no  sigh  in  their  bosom.  (3.)  They  are  represented 
as  praising  God — one  crying  to  another,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,"  and 
singing,  •'  Worthy  is  the  Lamb."  Now,  singing  praises  is  a  sign 
of  mirth  and  gladness.  "  Is  any  merry  ?  let  him  sing  psalms." 
Now,  I  want  you  to  see  that  the  happiness  of  these  happy  spirits 
consists  in  giving.  1^^,  they  all  give  :  "  Are  they  not  all  minister- 
ing spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  to  them  that  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation  ?"  Upon  the  earth  very  few  people  give  ;  most  people 
like  to  receive  money;  to  keep  it,  to  lay  it  up  in  the  bank,  to  see 
it  becoming  more  and  more.  There  are  only  a  few  people  that 
give — these  often  not  the  richest;  but  in  heaven  all  give.  It  is 
their  greatest  pleasure.  Search  every  dwelling  of  every  angel — 
you  will  not  find  one  hoard  among  them  all.  They  are  all  minis- 
tering spirits. 

2d,  They  give  to  those  who  are  far  beneath  them.  They  are  not 
contented  to  help  those  that  can  help  them  back  again,  but  they 
give,  hoping  for  nothing  again.  There  were  some  poor  shepherds 
in  the  fields  near  Bethlehem  ;  yet  a  great  angel  did  not  hesitate  to 
visit  them  with  kind  and  gentle  words ;  nay,  it  would  seem  that 
there  were  many  more  that  would  fain  have  been  allowed  to 
carry  the  message  ;  for  no  sooner  was  it  done  than  a  multitude  of 
the  heavenly  host  were  with  him  praising  God.  You  remember, 
too,  how  kind  the  angels  were  to  the  beggar  Lazarus.  The  dogs 
were  the  only  ones  that  ministered  to  him  on  earth ;  but  the  angels 
stooped  on  willing  wing,  and  bore  him  to  Abraham's  bosom. 

3d,  The  highest  love  to  give  most.  Thei'e  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  highest  angels  are  those  who  go  down  lowest,  and  give 
up  most  in  the  service  of  God.  Jesus  expressly  says  so  :  "  He 
that  is  greatest  among  you  shall  be  your  servant."  The  angels 
that  see  the  face  of  God,  stoop  to  serve  the  meanest  children  of 
God.  It  is  the  happiness  of  the  happiest  angel  that  he  can  give 
up  more,  and  stoop  lower  down  in  sweet,  humble  services,  than 
the  angels  beneath  him. 

Dear  Christians,  you  often  pray,  "Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as 


478  SERMON    LXXXII. 

it  is  in  heaven."  If  you  mean  anytiiing,  you  mean  that  you  may 
serve  God  as  the  angels  do  !  Ah,  then,  your  happiness  must  be 
in  giving.  The  happiness  of  the  angels  consists  in  this.  If  you 
would  be  like  them,  become  a  ministering  spirit. 

2.  God.  We  know  very  little  of  God  ;  but  we  know  that  he 
is  infinitely  happy.  You  cannot  add  to  his  happiness,  nor  take 
from  it.  We  know  also  many  things  that  enter  into  his  happiness. 
Everything  he  docs  must  afford  him  happiness.  As  when  he  cre- 
ated the  world,  and  said,  "All  very  good;"  God  was  happy  in 
creating.  But  the  Bible  shows  that  his  happiness  mainly  consists 
in  giving,  not  in  receiving.  (1.)  His  giving  food  to  all  creatures 
is  very  wonderful — not  one  sparrow  is  forgotten  before  God. 
The  whole  world  has  been  cursed,  and  God  could  justly  cast  the 
whole  into  destruction ;  but  he  does  not,  he  delighteth  in  mercy. 
The  young  lions  seek  their  meat  from  God.  He  feeds  the  ravens 
when  they  cry.  (2.)  He  gives  to  the  wicked:  "He  maketh  his 
sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  scndeth  rain  on  the 
just  and  unjust."  Just  think  for  a  moment  how  many  thousands 
God  feeds  every  day  who  blaspheme  his  name,  and  proi'ane  his 
Sabbaths.  He  gives  them  food  and  raiment ;  turns  the  hearts  of 
people  to  be  kind  to  them  ;  and  yet  they  curse  God  every  daj'. 
Oh  !  how  this  shows  that  God  delighteth  in  mercy.  "Be  ye  mer- 
ciful, even  as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  merciful."  (3.)  But,  most 
of  all,  he  gave  his  own  Son.  God  delights  in  giving.  It  is  his 
nature.  He  spared  not  his  own  Son.  Although  he  was  empty- 
ing his  own  bosom,  yet  he  would  not  keep  back  the  gift.  Now, 
some  of  you  pray  night  and  day  to  be  made  like  God:  "  Blessed 
art  thou,  O  God  :  teach  me  thy  statutes."  If  you  will  be  like  him, 
be  like  him  in  giving.  It  is  God's  chief  happiness,  be  you  like  him 
in  it. 

Ohj.  Would  you  have  me  give  to  wicked  people,  who  will  go 
and  abuse  it?  Ans.  God  gives  to  wicked  people,  who  go  and 
abuse  it ;  yet  that  does  not  diminish  his  happiness.  God  makes 
the  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  pours  down  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.  It  is  right  to  give  most  and  best  to 
the  children  of  God  ;  but  give  to  the  wicked  also,  if  you  would 
be  like  God.  Give  to  the  unthankful ;  give  to  the  vile :  "  Give  to 
him  that  asketh  of  thee ;  and  from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee 
turn  not  thou  away,  remembering  the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

3.  Christ.  He  was  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  equal  with  the  Fa 
ther  in  everything,  therefore  equal  in  happiness.  He  had  glory 
with  him  before  ever  the  world  was.  Yet  his  happiness  also  con- 
sisted in  giving.  He  was  for  above  all  the  angels,  and  therefore 
he  gave  far  more  than  them  all ;  "  The  Son  of  Man  came  not  to 
be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom 
for  many."  He  was  highest,  therefore  he  stooped  lowest.  They 
gave  their  willing  services,  he  gave  himself;  "  Ye  know  the  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our 


SERMON    LXXXII.  479 

sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be 
made  rich.     Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ." 

Now,  dear  Christians,  some  of  you  pray  night  and  dny  to  be 
branches  of  the  true  Vine  ;  you  pray  to  be  made  all  over  in 
the  image  of  Christ.  If  so,  j^ou  must  be  like  him  in  giving. 
A  branch  bears  the  same  kind  of  fruit  as  the  tree.  If  you  be 
branches  at  all,  you  must  bear  the  same  fruit.  An  old  divine  says 
well :  "  What  would  have  become  of  us  if  Christ  had  been  as 
saving  of  his  blood  as  some  men  are  of  their  money?" 

Obj.  1.  My  money  is  my  own.  Am.  Christ  might  have  said, 
My  blood  is  my  own,  my  life  is  my  own  ;  no  man  forceth  it  from 
me:  then  where  should  we  have  been? 

Ohj.  2.  The  poor  are  undeserving.  Ans.  Christ  might  have 
said  the  same  thing.  They  are  wicked  rebels  against  my  Father's 
law  :  shall  I  lay  down  my  life  for  these  ?  I  will  give  to  the  good 
angels.  But  no,  he  left  the  ninety-nine,  and  came  after  the  lost. 
He  gave  his  blood  for  the  undeserving. 

Ohj.  3.  The  poor  may  abuse  it.  Ans.  Christ  might  have  said 
the  same  ;  yea,  with  far  greater  truth.  Christ  knew  that  thou- 
sands would  trample  his  blood  under  their  feet;  that  most  would 
despise  it ;  that  many  would  make  it  an  excuse  for  sinning  more ; 
yet  he  gave  his  own  blood. 

Oh,  my  dear  Christians  !  if  you  would  be  like  Christ,  give  much, 
give  often,  give  freely,  to  the  vile  and  the  poor,  the  thankless  and 
the  undeserving.  Christ  is  glorious  and  happy,  and  so  will  you 
be.  It  is  not  your  money  I  want,  but  your  happiness.  Remem- 
ber his  own  word  :  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

II.  It  is  happier,  because  of  the  peculiar  character  of  a  Christian. 

1.  A  Christian  is  a  steward.  In  every  great  house  there  is  a 
steward,  whose  duty  it  is  to  manage  his  master's  goods  in  such  a 
way  that  every  one  may  have  his  portion  of  meat  in  due  season. 
Now  you  will  see  at  once  that  the  happiness  of  the  steward  does 
not  consist  in  the  receiving  of  more  goods,  but  in  the  due  distribu- 
tion of  what  he  has  got.  If  there  be  any  grieve  or  foreman  hear- 
ing me,  you  will  know  quite  well  that  your  happiness  consists  not 
in  the  quantity  of  your  master's  goods  which  goes  through  your 
hands,  but  in  the  right  distribution  of  it.  The  happiness  of  every 
steward  consists  in  giving,  not  in  receiving. 

Now,  dear  Christians,  you  are  only  stewards  of  all  you  possess. 
You  have  not  one  halfpenny  of  your  own.  "  Occupy  till  1  come," 
is  written  upon  everything.  The  reckoning-day  is  near  ;  O  that 
you  would  be  wise  stewards !  You  would  be  far  happier.  It  is 
the  devil  that  persuades  you  that  it  is  better  to  hoard  and  lay  up  for 
yourself  and  your  children.  It  is  far  happier  to  be  an  honest 
steward. 

Ohj.  I  am  in  very  poor  circumstances.     Ans.  Still  you  are  a 


480  SERMON    LXXXII. 

steward.  Use  what  you  have  as  a  steward  for  Christ,  and  you 
will  do  well.     He  that  used  his  two  talents  did  not  lose  his  reward. 

2.  Christians  are  members  one  of  another.  When  we  are  united 
to  Christ,  we  are  united  to  all  the  brethren.  It  is  a  closer  relation 
than  any  other,  for  it  outlasts  every  other.  The  wife  of  your 
bosom  will  one  day  be  separated  from  you.  Father  and  child, 
sister  and  brother,  may  be  separated  eternally  ;  but  not  so  Chris- 
tian and  Christian,  they  are  for  ever  and  for  ever,  branches  of  the 
same  tree  for  eternity,  stones  of  the  same  temple  for  ever.  Now 
it  must  be  the  happiness  of  one  member  to  help  another.  (1.)  In 
the  body,  when  one  limb  is  hurt  or  is  weakly,  the  others  help  it. 
It  is  their  happiness  to  do  so.  When  the  left  hand  is  wounded,  the 
right  hand  will  do  everything  for  it,  it  supplies  all  its  need.  (2.) 
So  it  is  in  Christ's  body.  It  is  the  happiness  of  one  member  to 
help  another.  It  is  just  like  helping  one's  self;  yea,  it  is  like  help- 
ing Christ.  If  Christ  were  to  come  to  your  door  poor,  and  clothed 
in  rags,  and  shivering  with  cold,  would  you  feel  it  an  unhappy 
thing  to  supply  all  his  need  ?  Oh,  then,  you  may  do  this  when- 
ever you  see  a  poor  Christian  :  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  do  it  to  the  least 
of  these  my  brethren,  ye  do  it  unto  me."  Woe  is  me  !  how  many 
of  you  turn  Christ  away  from  your  door,  with  a  rude  and  angry 
countenance.     Are  you  not  ashamed  to  call  yourself  a  Christian? 

Again  :  if  Christ  lived  in  some  poor  dwelling,  with  not  enough 
of  fire  to  keep  away  the  cold,  with  not  enough  of  clothes  to  make 
the  bed  warm,  would  you  not  seek  him  out?  would  you  stay  till 
he  sought  you  ?  Ah,  woe  is  me  I  in  how  many  dwellings  does 
Christ  dwell  thus  ?  and  yet,  there  are  Christians  hearing  me  that 
never  have  sought  him  out.  Change  your  plan,  I  pray  you.  "  Jt 
is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

III.  Because  Christians  will  he  no  losers.. 

1.  They  shall  he  no  losers  in  this  world  hy  what  they  give  away : 
"  There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth  :  there  is  that  with- 
holdeth  more  than  is  meet,  and  it  tendcth  to  penury."  I  am  going 
to  say  now  what  the  world  will  scoff  at ;  but  all  that  I  ask  of  you 
is,  to  be  like  the  Bereans.  Search  the  Scriptures,  and  see  if  these 
things  be  not  so.  The  whole  Bible  shows,  then,  that  the  best  way 
to  have  plenty  in  this  world  is  to  give  liberally.  (1.)  "  Cast  thy 
bread  upon  the  waters,  and  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many  days.'" 
This  refers  to  the  sowing  of  rice.  The  rice  in  the  East  is  always 
sown  when  the  fields  are  flooded  with  water.  The  bread-corn  is 
actually  cast  upon  the  water.  After  many  days  the  waters  dry  up, 
and  a  rich  crop  of  waving  rice  covers  the  plain.  So  it  is  in  giv- 
ing liberally  to  the  poor  out  of  love  to  Jesus.  It  is  like  throwing 
away  your  money,  it  is  like  casting  seed  upon  the  waters  ;  yet 
fear  not,  you  shall  find  a  crop  after  many  days,  you  shall  have  a 
return  for  your  money  in  this  world. 

A  word  to  Christians  in  humble  life.     You  say.  If  I  were  a 


SERMON   LXXXII.  481 

rich  Christian,  how  happy  would  I  be  to  give  !  but  I  am  so  poor, 
what  can  I  give  ?  Now,  I  just  ask  you  to  look  at  the  man  sowing 
seed.  When  he  has  but  little,  does  he  keep  back  from  sowing 
that  little  ?  No  ;  he  sows  all  the  more  anxiously  the  little  he  has, 
in  order  to  make  more.     Do  you  the  same. 

How  little  you  believe  God  !  He  says  :  "  He  that  giveth  to 
the  poor,  Icndeth  to  the  Lord."  Now,  I  believe  there  is  not  one 
in  a  hundred  who  would  not  rather  lend  to  a  rich  man  than  lend 
to  the  Lord.  You  believe  man — not  God.  In  fact,  it  is  but  the 
other  day  I  heard  of  a  child  of  God  who  was  in  very  reduced  cir- 
cumstances, her  husband  being  blind,  yet  who  contrived  not  only 
to  live,  but  to  give  to  others  also.  She  wrought  with  her  own 
hands,  that  she  might  have  to  give.  She  gave  largely  to  the  poor, 
largely  also  to  missions  abroad.  This  was  sowing  the  seed,  all 
the  seed  she  had,  for  she  had  no  hoard.  And  did  the  crop  fail  ? 
No  :  it  appeared  in  India,  a  distant  relative  died,  leaving  £20,000 
to  her  alone.  God  is  able  to  do  this  every  day.  "  God  is  able  to 
make  all  grace  abound  towards  you,  that  ye  always  having  all- 
sufficiency  in  all  things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work." 

How  easily  God  can  give  you,  by  the  smallest  turn  of  his  pro- 
vidence, more  than  all  you  give  away  in  a  year  !  O  trust  the 
Lord  !  But  the  wicked  cannot  trust  God.  The  world  is  an  Infidel 
at  heart. 

Some  will  say :  I  will  begin  to-night ;  I  will  put  your  word  to 
the  test  ;  I  will  give  double  what  I  ever  gave,  and  see  if  I  will 
get  a  return.  Ans.  No  such  thing ;  keep  your  money,  I  advise 
you.  If  you  give,  hoping  for  something  again,  you  will  get 
nothing.  You  must  give  as  a  Christian  gives — cheerfully,  liberally, 
and  freely,  hoping  for  nothing  again ;  and  then  God  will  give  you 
back  good  measure,  pressed  down :  "  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given 
to  you,"     He  that  giveth  to  the  poor  shall  have  no  lack. 

2.  Christians  will  be  no  losers  in  eternity.  The  whole  Bible 
shows  that  Christians  will  be  rewarded  in  eternity  just  in  propor- 
tion to  the  way  they  have  made  use  of  their  talents.  Now,  money 
is  one  talent.  If  you  use  it  right  you  will  in  no  wise  lose  your 
reward.  Christ  plainly  shows  that  he  will  reckon  with  men  in  the 
judgment  according  as  they  have  dealt  by  his  poor  Christians. 
They  that  have  done  much  for  Christ  shall  have  an  abundant  en- 
trance ;  they  that  have  done  little  shall  have  little  reward. 

I  thank  God  that  there  are  some  among  you  to  whom  Christ 
will  say  :  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  Go  on,  d*ear 
Christians,  live  still  for  Christ.  Never  forget,  day  nor  night,  that 
you  are  yourselves  bought  with  a  price.  Lay  yourselves  and 
your  property  all  in  his  hand,  and  say :  "  What  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do  ?  Here  am  I,  send  me ;"  and  then  I  know  you  will 
feel,  now  and  in  eternity,  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive." 

91 


482  SERMON    LXXXIIl. 

I  fear  there  are  somo  Christians  among  you  to  whom  Christ 
can  say  no  such  thing.  Your  haughty  dwelHng  rises  in  the  midst 
of  thousands  who  have  scarce  a  fire  to  warm  themselves  at,  and 
have  but  Httle  clothing  to  keep  out  the  biting  frost  ;  and  yet  you 
never  darkened  their  door.  You  heave  a  sigh,  perhaps,  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  but  you  do  not  visit  them.  Ah  !  my  dear  friends  !  I  am 
concerned  for  the  poor  ;  but  more  for  you.  I  know  not  what 
Christ  will  say  to  you  in  the  great  day.  You  seem  to  be  Chris- 
tians, and  yet  you  care  not  for  his  poor.  Oh,  what  a  change  will 
pass  upon  you  as  you  enter  the  gates  of  heaven  !  You  will  be 
saved,  but  that  will  be  all.  There  will  be  no  abundant  en- 
trance for  you  :  "  He  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  also  spar- 
ingly." 

I  fear  there  are  many  hearing  me  who  may  know  well  that  they 
are  not  Christians,  because  they  do  not  love  to  give.  To  give 
largely  and  liberally,  not  grudging  at  all,  requires  a  new  heart  ; 
an  old  heart  would  rather  part  with  its  life-blood  than  its  money. 
Oh,  my  friends  !  enjoy  your  money  ;  make  the  most  of  it  ;  give 
none  away  ;  enjoy  it  quicklv  ;  for  I  can  tell  you,  you  will  be  beg- 
gars throughout  eternity.  — —  - 
Dundee,  February  4,  1838 


SERMON  LXXXIIl. 

Christ's  silence  under  suffering. 

•*  He  was  oppressed  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth :  he  is  brought 
as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  open- 
eth  not  his  mouth." — Isa.  liii.,  7. 

When  the  Jewish  priests  used  to  lead  the  tender,  fleecy  lamb  to  be 
slain  in  the  temple,  it  did  not  struggle,  it  did  not  complain.  So 
when  the  shearer  is  clipping  the  snowy  fleece  from  the  sheep,  it 
does  not  struggle,  it  does  not  complain.  Even  so  when  God  gave 
his  own  Son  up  to  the  death  for  us  all,  he  did  not  struggle,  he  did 
not  complain.  When  that  gentle  Lamb  of  God  was  led  to  the 
slaughter,  he  murmured  not.  When  the  four  soldiers  parted  his 
raiment  among  them,  and  for  his  vesture  cast  lots  ;  when  these 
cruel  shearers  robbed  the  Sheep  of  his  snowy  fleece,  he  was  dumb, 
he  opened  not  his  mouth. 

When  he  was  oppressed  and  afflicted  by  man,  he  answered  not 
a  word.  He  was  oppressed  and  afflicted  by  God — he  murmured 
not.  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him.  He  put  him  to  grief 
He  was  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted.  Yet  he  spoke 
not.     He  did  not  turn  round  and  say :  Righteous  Father,  this  is 


SERMON    LXXXIIl.  483 

unjust.  Why  should  I  suffer  for  sins  I  did  not  do  ?  Lord,  thou 
knowest  that  I  am  without  spot  and  blameless ;  thou  knovvest 
that  J  knew  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  my  mouth.  He 
was  oppressed  and  afflicted  both  by  God  and  by  man,  yet  he 
opened  not  his  mouth.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his 
mouth." 

Doctrine. — Christ  was  silent  under  his  sufferings. 

\st.  The  fact  that  Christ  was  really  silent  under  his  sufferings  ; 
2d,  Why  he  was  silent ;  and,  3c?,  How  this  is  showed  forth  in  the 
Lord's  supper. 

L   The  fact  that  Christ  was  silent  under  his  sufferings. 

L  He  was  silent  before  man.  He  wcfs  oppressed  and  afflicted 
by  the  wicked  hands  of  men  ;  and  yet  he  did  not  justify  himself 
before  man.  (1.)  This  is  true  when  he  was  taken  prisoner.  Jesus 
was  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  it  was  night,  when  a  mul- 
titude came  upon  him  with  lanterns  and  torches,  and  swords  and 
staves.  Did  Jesus  flee  away  ?  No.  Did  he  make  resistance  ? 
No.  His  disciples  said:  "Shall  we  smite  with  the  sword?"  and 
Peter  actually  used  the  sword  ;  but  Jesus  forbade  them.  He  could 
have  called  down  twelve  legions  of  angels.  He  could  have  taken 
away  their  breath,  that  they  should  die.  But  no  ;  he  said,  "  This 
is  your  hour  and  the  power  of  darkness."  "  The  cup  which  my 
Father  hath  given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?"  •'  He  was  led  as  a 
lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

(2.)  This  is  true  in  his  trial  before  Caiaphas.  They  had  bound 
Jesus  in  the  garden,  and  led  him  away  to  the  Palace  of  Caiaphas, 
the  high  priest.  Chief  priests,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  there  sat 
in  mock  trial  upon  the  Lamb  of  God.  Many  flilse  tongues  bare 
false  witness  against  him.  Did  he  answer  them  ?  No.  He  an- 
swered not  a  word.  And  the  high  priest  stood  up  in  the  midst 
and  said  :  "  Answerest  thou  nothing  ?"  but  he  held  his  peace,  and 
answered  nothing.  He  was  led  like  a  lamb ;  led  to  the  slaughter, 
*'  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his 
mouth." 

(3.)  True  in  his  trial  before  Pilate.  1st,  From  Caiaphas  they 
led  him  away  to  the  Roman  governor,  Pilate :  "  And  there  the 
chief  priests  stood  and  accused  him  of  many  things ;  but  he  an- 
swered nothing.  And  Pilate  asked  him,  Answerest  thou  nothing? 
But  Jesus  yet  answered  nothing,  so  that  Pilate  marvelled  greatly." 
Ah  !  the  blind  Roman  did  not  know  that  he  was  the  Lamb  of  God, 
bearing  the  sins  of  many.  2d,  Again,  Pilate  sent  him  to  Herod. 
Herod  questioned  him ;  the  Jews  vehemently  accused  him ;  He- 
rod's men  of  war  made  a  mock  of  him  ;  yet  it  is  written :  "  He 
answered  him  nothing ;"  he  was  still  the  silent  Lamb.     2d,  Again, 


484  SERMON    LXXXIII. 

when  Herod  sent  him  back  to  Pilate,  then  Pilate  sat  down  on  the 
tribunal  of  justice, — he  declared,  "  I  have  found  no  fault  in  him." 
*'  He  washed  his  hands,  and  said,  I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of 
this  just  person."  And  yet  he  passed  sentence  on  him  that  he 
should  be  crucified.  Did  Jesus  cry.  Unjust?  Did  he  cry,  I  stand 
at  Cffisar's  judgment-seat,  I  appeal  unto  Csesar  ?  No.  "  He  was 
led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers 
is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

Again,  upon  .the  cross  he  was  oppressed  and  afflicted  of  man. 
The  passers  by  wagged  the  head  at  him,  and  said :  "  Come  down 
from  the  cross."  The  priests,  too,  mocked  him,  as  an  outcast  from 
God.  The  very  thieves  cast  the  same  in  his  teeth,  for  three  dark 
hours.  Did  he  complain  ?  No.  He  felt  it  to  be  true  that  he  was 
an  outcast  from  his  God.  He  answered  not  a  word.  "  He  was 
led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers 
is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

2.  But  Christ  ivas  silent  before  God  under  his  'sufferings.  (1.) 
You  remember  him  in  the  garden ;  you  remember  how  he  was 
bruised  there,  when  '*  his  sweat  was  as  great  drops  of  blood  falling 
down  to  the  ground."  There  God  set  down  the  cup  of  his  wrath 
before  him,  to  show  him  what  he  w^as  going  to  drink.  He  might 
have  said  :  This  is  no  cup  of  mine  ;  let  them  drink  it  that  filled  it 
by  their  sins.  But  no ;  he  only  cries  that  it  may  pass  from  him  : 
"  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me."  Prayer 
is  the  cry  of  one  who  feels  no  right  to  demand.  If  he  had  seen  it 
to  be  unjust  to  give  him  such  a  cup,  he  would  have  said  :  Right- 
eous Father,  this  is  not  for  me  to  drink.  Shall  not  the  Judge  of 
all  the  earth  do  right  ?  But  no  ;  he  acknowledges  it  to  be  just,  if 
the  Father  wills  it.  The  second  time  he  prays,  he  says  :  "  If  this 
cup  may  not  pass  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done." 
He  acquiesces  in  the  justice  of  God  in  giving  him  such  a  cup  to 
drink.  He  is  the  Lamb  of  God.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
opened  not  his  mouth." 

(2.)  You  remember  him  on  the  cross.  There  God  hid  his  face 
from  him.  For  three  hours  did  the  sun  refuse  to  shine  upon  that 
cross — darkness  brooded  over  the  land.  But  deeper  was  the, 
darkness  brooding  over  the  Redeemer's  soul.  God's  face  refused 
to  shine  upon  his  Son.  Yet  did  he  say.it  was  unjust?  No.  He 
said  :  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 
He  said  :  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  At  the 
ninth  hour  he  cried  :  "  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani " — words  not 
of  murmuring,  but  of  agony.  Again  he  said  :  '•  I  thirst."  And 
again  hq  cried  :  "•  It  is  finished.  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend 
my  spirit."  These  are  all  the  words  that  Jesus  spake  upon  the 
cross.  He  did  not  cry :  Why  am  I  here — I  am  the  Lord  of  glory  ? 
Why  should  I  hang  between  earth  and  heaven  ?  Righteous  Father, 
I  never  sinned — l  was  always  holy,  harmless,  undefiled  ;  why 


SERMON    LXXXIII.  485 

should  I  suffer  thus  ?  But  no  ;  he  was  silent  under  his  sufferings, 
both  from  God  and  man.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his 
mouth." 

11.  Inquire  the  reasons  why  Christ  was  silent  under  his  suffer- 
ings. 

1.  Because  he  knew  his  sufferings  were  all  infinitely  just.  When 
a  person  is  undergoing  a  trial ;  when  he  is  accused,  borne  witness 
against,  and  condemned — if  he  be  really  guilty  of  the  crimes  laid 
to  his  charge,  he  is  dumb,  and  says  :  I  deserve  it  all.  If  he  has 
any  sense  of  justice  left  in  his  bosom,  he  will  be  convinced  and 
conscience-stricken — he  will  answer  not  a  word  ;  he  feels  that  his 
condemnation  is  just  and  righteous,  and  therefore  he  is  dumb. 
Just  so  it  was  with  Christ.  Christ  had  an  infinite  sense  of  justice  ; 
therefore,  both  in  his  accusations  by  men  and  bruisings  under  the 
wrath  of  God,  he  answered  not  a  word.  He  was  a  silent  Lamb. 
Ques.  How  was  it  just  that  Christ  should  suffer,  when  he  had  not 
committed  the  things  laid  to  his  charge  ?  Ans.  True,  he  was  holy. 
He  was  the  Son  of  God — infinitely  holy.  When  he  became  man, 
still  he  was  a  "  holy  thing  ;"  through  life  he  was  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners  ;  and  in  his  death  he  was  a 
Lamb  without  spot  and  blameless.  But  still  he  was  a  substitute 
in  the  room  of  sinners.  "  He  who  knew  no  sin  was  made  sin  for 
us."  He  that  was  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  became  a  curse  for  us. 
The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  us  fell  upon  him.  He 
stood  in  the  place  of  blasphemers,  and  gluttons,  and  wine-bibbers, 
and  deceivers,  and  thieves,  and  murderers,  and  outcasts  from 
God ;  therefore  it  was  quite  just  that  the  sufferings  due  to  these 
sinners  should  fall  upon  him  ;  and  so,  when  he  was  accused  and 
condemned,  he  opened  not  his  mouth :  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to 
the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
opened  not  his  mouth."  Have  you  joined  yourself  to  Christ  ? 
Then  there  is  strong  consolation  for  you.  If  it  was  just  that  Christ 
should  suffer,  then  it  is  not  just  that  you  should  suffer.  He  was 
silent  and  opened  not  his  mouth,  when  wrath  was  poured  out  upon 
him.  But,  ah  !  he  will  cry  aloud  if  wrath  should  be  poured  upon 
you.  You  have  been  condemned  already,  and  buffeted,  and  spit 
upon  already.  You  have  been  bruised  under  the  wrath  of  God 
already.  You  will  never  suffer  any  more.  "  Who  shall  lay  any- 
thing to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth — who 
shall  condemn?     It  is  Christ  that  died." 

2.  Because  he  would  keep  his  part  of  the  covenant.  Before  the 
world  was,  he  entered  into  covenant  with  his  Father,  that  he 
would  stand  as  a  substitute  for  sinners  ;  and  therefore  when  he 
did  come  to  suffer,  his  very  righteousness  sustained  him,  and 
he  set  his  face  like  a  flint.  When  a  feeble  man  undertakes 
some  hard  piece  of  service,  very  often  he  is  loud  and  boastful 


486  SERMON    Lxxxm. 

before  he  begins  ;  but  when  he  comes  up  to  the  point,  his 
courage  dies,  and  he  goes  away  back  fi'om  iiis  word.  Not  so 
the  Son  of  God.  He  had  sworn  that  he  would  bear  the  curse 
that  was  hanging  over  sinners.  He  liad  struck  hands  with  the 
eternal  Father,  he  would  be  their  Jonah,  to  lie  down  under  their 
sea  of  wrath  :  "  Take  me  up,"  he  said,  "  and  cast  me  into  that  sea 
of  wrath."  And  so,  when  the  waves  and  billows  went  over  him, 
he  did  not  cry  nor  murmur.  He  set  his  face  steadfastly.  He 
had  sworn  once  by  his  holiness,  and  he  would  not  turn  from  it. 
He  would  not  alter  the  thing  that  had  gone  out  of  his  lips.  "  He 
was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her 
shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

Speak  to  awakened.  Trust  in  Christ  as  a  Saviour.  He  is  wor- 
thy of  all  your  confidence.  If  I  had  told  you  that  the  Son  of  God 
had  undertaken  to  suffer  in  the  room  of  sinners,  surely  that  ought 
to  give  you  peace  ;  for  if  he  undertakes  it,  he  will  perform  it. 
But  we  are  sent  to  tell  you  that  he  has  finished  what  he  under- 
took. He  is  a  faithful  and  covenant-keeping  Saviour.  Come 
and  look  upon  that  silent  Lamb.  See  him  led  from  the  garden  to 
Caiaphas,  from  Caiaphas  to  Pilate,  from  Pilate  to  Herod,  from 
Herod  to  Pilate  again,  from  Pilate  to  Calvary.  See  him  carrying 
that  heavy  cross  upon  his  shoulders  ;  see  him  carrying  the  wrath 
of  God  upon  his  head  ;  and  yet  he  murmurs  not.  He  does  not 
say :  Father,  these  sins  are  not  mine.  No  ;  he  keeps  truth  for 
ever.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep 
before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth."  And 
how  do  you  requite  all  this  ?  You  say,  I  dare  not  believe  it.  Ah  ! 
does  he  deserve  this  at  your  hand,  that  you  should  call  him  liar  ? 
He  that  belie velh  not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar. 

3.  Because  of  his  love.  It  was  love  to  perishing  sinners  that 
made  the  Son  of  God  enter  into  covenant  with  his  Father  to  bear 
wrath  in  their  stead.  It  was  the  same  love  in  his  bosom  that 
made  him  keep  the  covenant  which  he  had  made.  Ah  !  it  was 
love  that  tied  his  tongue.  The  cords  with  which  the  soldiers 
bound  him  were  tight  and  strong  ;  but,  oh  !  his  love  bound  him 
more  firm  than  all.  The  nails  that  pierced  his  hands  and  feet  held 
him  firmly  on  the  bloody  cross ;  but,  oh  !  his  love  was  the 
strongest  nail  ;  it  was  stronger  than  death.  When  the  Jews 
accused  him,  and  he  answered  not  a  word,  it  was  love  to  sinners 
which  made  him  hold  his  peace.  When  Herod  questioned  him, 
and  Pilate  condemned  him,  his  trembling  humanity  said  :  I  am  not 
guilty.  But,  oh  !  his  love  said  :  Yes  ;  I  am  guilty  of  all.  When 
his  Father  bruised  him  with  weights  of  mysterious  agony,  in  the 
garden,  and  on  the  cross — when  the  infinite  wrath  of  the  infinite 
God  was  all  summed  up  in  a  three  hours'  agony — when  all  that 
bowed  down  his  blessed  head,  his  shrinking  humanity  said,  in- 
wardly :  I  never  sinned — this  wrath  is  not  mine  ;  I  should  not 
bear  it.     But,  ah  !  bis  love  said  :  Either  I  or  my  people  must  bear 


SERMON    LXXXIII.  487 

it ;  I  will  bear  it  for  them.  Oh,  believers  !  behold  how  he  loved 
you.  Surely  this  love  was  stronger  than  death.  A  deluge  of 
wrath  could  not  quench  this  love.  Can  you  count  the  drops  of 
the  ocean  ?  Then  you  may  fathom  the  depths  of  his  love  to  you. 
Can  you  measure  the  distance  between  the  highest  throne  in 
heaven,  and  the  lowest  dungeon  in  hell  ?  That  is  the  measure  of 
his  love  to  you. 

Some  of  you  dare  not  believe  in  Jesus.  Ah  !  is  this  the  way 
you  requite  the  love  of  the  silent  Lamb  of  God  ?  He  would  not 
answer  when  he  was  accused.  He  would  not  murmur  when  con- 
demned. When  God  poured  wrath  on  him,  he  would  not  stand 
upon  his  Godhead  purity,  but  consented  to  bear  wrath,  that  every 
sinner  looking  to  him  may  go  free ;  and  yet  you  will  not  look  to 
this  Lamb  of  God.     Oh  !  you  grieve  him  and  crucify  him  afresh. 

4.  He  was  silent,  because  he  sought  his  Father's  glory.  I  have 
often  tried  to  show  you  that  it  is  more  glorifying  to  God  when 
sin  is  punished  in  his  own  Son,  than  when  it  is  punished  in  the 
poor  worms  that  committed  it.  If  sinners  bear  their  own  sins, 
then  they  must  suffer  eternally,  so  that  God's  justice  will  never  be 
satisfied.  They  will  always  have  more  to  suffer,  and  God  will 
never  have  full  glory  out  of  them.  But  when  Christ  suffers  in  the 
room  of  a  sinner,  then  God  is  satisfied  at  once.  He  is  infinitely 
glorified.  Now,  Christ  knew  this  quite  well.  He  came  seeking 
his  Father's  glory :  "  I  am  come  to  do,  not  mine  own  will,  but  the 
will  of  Him  that  sent  me."  Therefore  it  was  he  was  dumb,  that 
God  might  have  more  glory  from  the  finished  sufferings  of  his  own 
Son,  than  from  the  eternal  sufferings  of  sinners.  "  O  the  depth  of 
the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  how  un- 
searchable are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" 
Therefore  did  he  say  :  "  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  ;  yea, 
thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  Therefore  did  he  hasten  to  go  up 
to  Jerusalem. 

Speak  to  awakened.  Some  of  you  refuse  to  believe,  lest  you 
should  tarnish  the  glory  of  God.  You  fear  that  it  cannot  be 
consistent  with  the  glory  of  so  pure  and  holy  a  God  to  receive 
you  to  pardon  and  peace.  Are  you  wiser  than  Christ  ?  Christ 
feared  that  God  would  lose  some  of  his  glory  if  sinners  were 
allowed  to  bear  their  own  sins,  because  infinite  justice  never 
could  get  enough  of  suffering  out  of  them.  Therefore  was  he 
dumb  under  the  wrath  of  God,  that  justice  might  be  fully  satisfied 
out  of  his  infinite  sufferings.  Be  wise,  I  entreat  of  you ;  God  is 
more  glorified  by  your  suffering  in  Christ,  than  by  your  own 
suffering  in  hell.  It  will  be  far  more  honoring  to  God  if  you  will 
cleave  to  that  bleeding,  silent  Lamb,  than  if  you  were  to  bear  the 
wrath  of  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Give  glory  to  the  Lord,  before 
your  feet  stumble  on  the  dark  mountains. 

III.  The  broken  bread  represents  the  silent  sufferings  of  Christ. 


488  SERMON    LXXXIV. 

This  day,  my  friends,  I  set  before  you  the  plainest  and  simplest 
picture  of  the  silent  sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God. 
In  that  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed  he  took  bread.  Why 
bread?  1.  Because  of  its  plainness  and  commonness.  He  did 
not  take  silver,  or  gold,  or  jewels,  to  represent  his  body,  but 
bread,  plain  bread,  to  show  you  that  when  he  came  to  be  a  surety 
for  sinners,  he  did  not  come  in  his  original  glory,  with  his  Father's 
angels.  He  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  he  became 
man.  2.  He  chose  bread,  to  show  you  that  he  was  dumb,  and 
opened  not  his  mouth.  When  I  break  the  bread  it  resists  not,  it 
complains  not,  it  yields  to  my  hand.  So  was  it  with  Christ ;  he 
resisted  not,  complained  not,  he  yielded  to  the  hand  of  infinite 
justice.  "  He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a 
sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

Some  of  you  believe  not.  You  do  not  consent  to  take  this 
silent  Lamb  as  a  sin-offering  for  your  soul.  Either  you  do  not 
feel  your  need  of  him,  or  you  have  not  faith  to  look  to  him.  But 
if  you  do  not  truly  look  to  him,  be  not  so  rash,  so  daring,  so 
inconsistent  as  to  take  the  bread  and  wine. 

Some  of  you  believe  in  the  silent  Lamb  of  God.  You  say,  It 
was  my  sin  that  lay  so  heavy  on  his  heart.  •  My  sins  were  the 
thorns  that  pierced  his  brow.  My  sins  were  the  nails  that 
pierced  his  hands  and  feet.  My  sins  were  the  spear  that 
pierced  his  heart.  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  Come, 
then,  to  the  broken  bread  and  poured-out  wine,  feed  on  them, 
appropriate  Christ  in  them  ;  and  whilst  you  feed  upon  the  em- 
blems of  the  silent  Lamb,  do  this  in  remembrance  of  Jesus. 

Thmdee,  1S07. — (Action  Sermon.) 


SERMON  LXXXIV. 

AS    THE    HART    PANTETH.    ' 

"  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  0 

God."— Ps.  xlii.,  1. 

These  are  supposed  to  be  the  words  of  David  when  he  fled  from 
his  son  Absalom.  He  seems  to  have  been  wandering  in  some 
solitary  wild  on  the  side  of  Mount  Hermon,  the  stream  of  Jordan 
flowing  at  his  feet.  David  seems  to  have  been  full  of  pensive 
meditation,  for  his  enemies  reproached  him  daily,  saying,  "  Where 
is  thy  God  ?"  nay,  even  God  seemed  to  forget  him  ;  all  his  waves 
and  billows  were  going  over  him,  when  suddenly  a  deer  bounded 
past  him.  It  had  been  sore  wounded  by  the  archers,  or  pursued 
by  some  wild  beast  on  the  mountains  of  the  leopards.     Faint  and 


SERMON    LXXXIV.  489 

weary,  he  saw  it  rushing  towards  the  flowing  stream,  and  quench- 
ing its  thirst  in  the  water  brook.  His  soul  was  quickened  by  the 
sight.  Is  not  this  just  a  picture  of  what  I  should  be  ?  Is  not  my 
God  to  me  all  that  the  flowing  stream  is  to  that  wounded  deer  ? 
"  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul 
after  thee,  O  God." 

I  do  hope  that  many  of  you  have  come  up  this  day  with  the 
same  panting  desire  in  your  bosom.  None  but  gracious  souls  can 
pant  after  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent.  As  the 
loadstone  attracts  nothing  but  what  is  made  of  steel  to  itself,  so  an 
uplifted  Saviour,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  draws  nothing  but 
what  is  awakened  by  his  own  Spirit  to  him.  May  God  enable 
.me  to  show  you  shortly  some  ol  the  reasons  why  the  believer 
pants  after  God ! 

I.  The  burden  of  sin  makes  the  soul  pant  after  God. 

1.  Unawakened  souls — those  who  feel  no  burden — do  not  pant 
after  Christ.  (1.)  "  The  full  soul  loathes  the  honeycomb." 
Christ  is  the  honeycomb  which  God  has  provided  for  poor  sinners. 
The  sweetest  honey  is  to  be  found  in  the  clefts  of  that  Rock  ;  but 
unawakened  persons  are  full ;  full  of  peace  ;  full  of  business  ;  full 
of  pleasure.  They  have  no  desire  after  Christ ;  they  loathe  the 
honeycomb.  (2.)  Unawakened  persons  are  "  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins."  They  are  as  dead  to  Christ  and  eternal  things  as  the 
dead  in  the  churchyard  are  to  the  things  of  this  world.  The  dead 
bodies  in  the  churchyard  are  at  present  within  reach  of  the 
preacher's  voice.  If  they  could  look  up  out  of  their  graves,  they 
would  see  the  table  spread  with  the  bread  and  wine ;  and  yet 
when  we  speak  they  do  not  hear ;  they  do  not  weep  ;  their  bosoms 
do  not  pant ;  they  do  not  rise  and  come.  Dear  friends,  the  dead 
souls  within  the  Church  are  just  as  dead  as  they.  You  too  are 
within  reach  of  the  preacher's  voice  ;  you  too  can  see  Christ  evi- 
dently set  forth  crucified;  yet  you  have  no  desires  after  Christ. 
Your  eyes  weep  not ;  your  bosoms  pant  not ;  you  have  no  heart- 
longings  after  Christ.  (3.)  When  Israel  was  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
they  had  leeks,  and  onions,  and  garlic  ;  they  sat  by  the  fleshpots, 
and  did  eat  bread  to  the  full.  They  did  not  cry  for  manna  ;  they 
did  not  seek  water  out  of  the  flinty  rock.  So  it  is  with  those  of 
you  who  are  unawakened.  You  have  got  the  leeks  and  the 
onions  of  this  world's  pleasures,  and  profits,  and  diversions ;  and 
you  care  not  for  Christ,  the  bread  of  life.  You  do  not  pant  after 
forgiveness  and  a  new  birth  ;  you  have  no  heart-longings  for  the 
living  water,  of  which  if  a  man  drink  he  shall  never  thirst 
again. 

2.  Many  awakened  persons  do  not  pant  after  Christ.  There 
are  some  who  feel  like  the  deer  stricken  by  the  archers  ;  but  they 
think  they  can  pull  out  the  arrows,  and  heal  their  own  wounds. 
(1.)  When  Naaman  the  Syrian  came  to  Elisha,  ho  felt  his  loath- 


490  SERMON    LXXXIV. 

some  disease,  and  he  longed  to  be  cured  ;  but  when  the  prophet  told 
him :  "  Go  wash  in  Jordan  seven  times,  and  thou  shall  be  clean," 
he  did  not  believe  God's  word :  "  Are  not  Abana  and  Pharphar, 
rivers  of  Damascus,  better  than  all  the  waters  of  Israel  ?  may  I  not 
wash  in  them,  and  be  clean  ?  So  he  turned  and  went  away  in  a 
rage."  So  do  many  awakened  souls  among  you.  You  are  made 
to  feci  your  loathsome  disease  ;  you  sometimes  tremble  for  fear  of 
hell  ;  but  when  we  tell  you  of  Christ's  blood  cleansing  from  all 
sin,  you  go  away  in  a  rage.  (2.)  When  the  flood  came  upon  the 
earth,  when  the  rain  fell  forty  days,  and  the  bowels  of  the  great 
deep  were  broken  up,  I  doubt  not  there  were  great  pantings  of 
heart.  Many  fled  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Some  fled  to  the  top 
of  snowy  Lebanon  ;  some  to  the  peaks  of  Ararat;  but  Noah  only, 
believed  God's  word,  and  entered  into  the  ark.  So  many  of  you 
tremble  about  your  souls,  who  yet  are  not  believing  God's  word, 
and  not  panting  after  Christ:  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye 
might  have  life."  (3.)  When  Christ  shall  come  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  it  is  said  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of 
him.  There  will  not  be  one  unawakened  person  in  earth  or  in 
hell.  Not  the  proudest  and  deadest  of  you  will  keep  from  trem- 
bling in  that  day.  But,  ah  !  it  is  only  those  who  believe  his 
word  that  will  flee  under  his  wings.  Dear  friends,  it  is  not 
enough  that  you  are  anxious  about  your  souls — you  must  be 
fleeing  to  Christ :  yea,  you  must  be  in  Christ,  before  you  are  safe. 

3.  All  who  are  taught  of  God  long  after  Christ :  "  Every  one 
that  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me" — "  All  that  the 
Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  When  a  sinner  is  convinced  by  God 
"that  his  sins  are  a  burden  heavier  than  he  can  bear — that  if  he  die 
they  will  crush  him  into  an  eternal  hell;  when  convinced  that 
God  has  provided  a  Lamb  for  a  burnt-oflering  ;  that  this  Lamb  is 
free  to  all ;  he  rushes  through  the  crowd.  Others  may  keep  back, 
but  he  cannot.  He  places  both  his  hands  on  the  head  of  the 
divine  Lamb,  and  says  :  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God." — "  This  God 
is  my  God  for  ever  and  ever ;  he  will  be  my  guide  even  unto 
death" — "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth 
my  soul  after  thee,  O  God." 

If  there  is  any  of  you  convinced  that  you  are  perishing  ;  that 
heaven  is  like  a  great  city  with  walls ;  that  you  are  outside,  and 
the  storm  of  wrath  about  to  fall  on  you  ;  has  God  also  convinced 
you  that  Christ  is  the  only  gate  into  the  city  ;  the  strait  gate,  and 
yet  wide  enough  to  admit  any  sinner  in  all  the  world  1  Ah  !  then 
I  know  you  will  strive  to  enter  it ;  you  will  agonize  ;  you  will  not 
rest  day  nor  night ;  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks, 
so  panteth  iny  soul  after  thee,  O  God."  If  there  is  any  of  you 
convinced  that  sin  is  a  mortal  disease  ;  that  all  other  physicians 
are  vain  ;  that  Christ  is  passing  through  the  midst  of  us  full  of 
virtue,  to  heal ;  I  know  you  will  press  forward,  whatever  others 


SERMON    LXXXIV.  491 

do  :  "  If  I  may  but  touch  the  hem  of  his  garment  I  shall  be  healed" 
— "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my 
soul  after  thee,  O  God." 

/  would  now  invite  panting  souls  to  close  with  Christ.  It  is  a 
sad  truth,  that  most  of  Christians  in  our  day  are  rather  coming  to 
Christ  than  co)ne  to  Christ.  Most  of  you  are  like  the  manslayer 
running  towards  the  city  of  refuge,  rather  than  when  he  sits  down 
within  the  gates.  O  if  you  feel  condemned  in  yourself,  and  that 
God  has  provided  a  free  Surety  for  sinners,  why  will  you  not  rest 
your  soul  upon  his  finished  work  ? — why  will  you  go  round  and 
round  the  city  of  refuge,  and  not  enter  in  ?  TJiis  holy  ordinance 
is  intended  to  teach  you  appropriating  faith  ;  no  more  to  waver, 
but  to  put  out  the  hand  of  faith  and  close  with  Jesus.  You  do 
not  come  to  look  at  bread  and  wine,  but  to  take  it.  Take,  eat, 
O  panting  souls  !  May  God  give  you  light  at  the  same  moment 
to  venture  on  Christ,  and  say  :  "  This  God  is  my  God  for  ever 
and  ever. 

II.  Desire  of  holiness  makes  the  soul  pant  after  God. 

1.  Unconverted  persons  have  no  desire  for  holiness,  and  there- 
fore the])  do  not  pant  after  God  and  Christ.  Indeed  this  is  the 
chief  reason  why  poor  sinners  do  not  come  to  Christ.  They  know 
that  if  they  came  to  Christ  they  would  get  a  new  heart ;  they 
would  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  their  old  companions  and  plea- 
sures ;  but  most  people  would  rather  go  to  hell  than  this.  When 
a  few  Greenlanders  were  brought  into  this  country,  they  saw  no 
beauty  in  the  rich  corn  fields,  and  woods,  and  plains  ;  they  asked 
for  their  fields  of  snow,  and  the  mountains  of  ice  glancing  in  the 
sun.  When  they  came  into  our  houses,  they  could  not  endure 
the  cleanness  of  them  ;  they  greatly  preferred  their  own  smoky, 
filthy  cabins.  So  it  is  with  those  of  you  who  ai'e  unconverted. 
You  have  grown  up  with  hearts  frozen  to  God,  and  to  divine 
things  ;  and  when  you  come  to  see  the  heart  of  a  Christian  like 
a  garden,  with  the  river  of  life  flowing  through  it,  and  beautiful 
flowers  of  meekness,  love,  and  holiness  growing  in  it,  you  cannot 
bear  the  sight ;  you  love  your  own  frozen  heart  better.  When 
you  see  the  clean  heart  of  a  child  of  God,  you  say  :  I  had  rather 
have  my  own  filthy  one.  Ah !  this  '\s  the  way  with  most.  You 
do  not  long  to  be  made  holy :  you  have  no  panting  after  a  new 
birth.  It  needs  grace  to  desire  grace.  You  do  not  desire  to  be 
made  a  new  creature  ;  you  had  rather  remain  in  the  image  of  the 
devil  than  be  changed  into  the  image  of  God.  You  are  like  Jeru- 
salem :  "  Woe  unto  thee,  O  Jerusalem  !  Wilt  thou  not  be  made 
clean  ?  when  shall  it  once  be  ?" 

2.  But  all  saved  souls  pant  after  holiness :  "  As  the  hart  panteth 
after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God." 
(1.)  When  a  soul  comes  to  close  with  Christ,  he  is  not  made  per- 
lectly  holy  all  at  once  :  "  The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining 


492  SERMON    LXXXIV. 

light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."  Just  as 
you  have  seen  the  day  struggling  with  the  darkness,  then  with 
clouds,  till  the  sun  bursts  forth  in  meridian  splendor ;  so  is  it  with 
the  holiness  of  a  Christian.  Just  as  in  the  richest  lands,  after  the 
deepest  ploughing,  weeds  will  still  grow  up  among  the  corn  ;  so, 
many  roots  of  bitterness  remain  in  the  believer's  heart.  Paul 
thanked  God  for  the  grace  that  was  given  to  the  Corinthians,  that 
they  came  behind  in  no  gift  ;  and  yet  he  says  they  had  strife,  and 
envy,  and  divisions,  so  that  he  could  not  call  them  spiritual,  but 
carnal.  So  is  it  with  every  Christian  heart.  Weeds  grow  up  in 
the  best  cultivated  gardens.  There  is  enough  in  Christ  to  supply 
all  our  need.  It  is  our  own  fault  that  we  are  not  holy  as  God  is 
holy.  It  is  not  in  Christ,  but  in  ourselves,  that  we  are  straitened. 
The  shower  of  grace  is  plentiful  enough,  and  more  than  enough  ; 
but  we  do  not  open  our  mouth  wide.  (2.)  But  every  soul  in 
Christ  hates  sin — pants  after  holiness.  Nothing  makes  him  pant 
more  after  God  than  corruption  striving  within.  Paul  never 
prayed  more  earnestly  than  when  he  had  the  thorn  in  his  flesh. 
The  thorn  in  the  flesh  makes  us  pant  after  God.  When  a  vessel 
is  left  by  the  tide  lying  dry  upon  the  sand,  it  cannot  be  moved — 
it  is  a  helpless  log.  The  mariners  may  try  to  draw  it  with  ropes, 
but  it  only  sinks  deeper  in  the  sand.  They  can  do  nothing  but 
long  for  the  tide,  that  it  may  again  be  lifted  upon  the  waves,  and 
sail  into  the  harbor.  So  is  it  with  a  Christian.  You  are  often 
like  a  vessel  on  the  sand.  You  cannot  move.  You  attempt  du- 
ties, but  it  is  heavy  work.  Without  Christ  you  can  do  nothing. 
You  wait  and  pant  for  Christ,  for  the  full  tide  of  the  Spirit,  to  lift 
your  soul  above  the  waves,  and  carry  you  prosperously  on  towards 
the.  heavenly  harbor. 

Let  me  invite  weary  souls  to  come  to  Christ  this  day.  Some 
of  you  are  feeling  the  thorn  in  the  flesh,  and  you  are  praying 
that  it  may  depart  from  you.  Some  of  you  feel  like  the  criminal 
who  was  chained  to  a  dead  body.  You  feel  your  loathsome  body 
of  sin  ;  you  cry,  "  O  wretched  man  !"  Some  of  you  are  like  the 
deer  that  has  been  wounded  by  the  lion,  and  trembles  at  his  roar- 
ing. You  have  been  wounded  by  Satan,  and  you  tremble  to  hear 
his  roar.  Come  you  to  Jesus.  He  will  give  you  rest,  O  panting 
soul.  Close  with  Christ,  feed  upon  Christ.  Without  him  you 
can  do  nothing.  Through  Christ  strengthening  you,  you  may  do 
all  things.  This  ordinance  is  intended  to  teach  you  to  feed  on 
Jesus.  You  do  not  only  look  on  the  bread,  or  handle  it ;  you  eat, 
you  drink.  So  come  into  personal  union  with  Christ,  O  longing 
soul,  and  he  will  be  your  strength :  "  God  is  our  refijge  and  our 
strength." 

III.  Desolateness  makes  the  soul  pant  after  God. 
1.  Believers  never  should  be  desolate.     It  is  contrary  to  the 
promise :  "  None  of  them  that  trust  in  him  shall  be  desolate." 


SERMON    LXXXIV.  493 

Christ  is  always  the  same.  His  righteousness  is  as  perfect  one 
day  as  another.  If  you  are  clothed  in  that  righteousness,  your 
peace  shall  be  like  a  river.  It  is  very  dishonoring  to  Christ  for 
believers  to  be  going  bowed  down  all  the  day  long:  "Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  olway ;  and  again  I  say,  Rejoice." 

2.  Still  I  fear  some  of  you  can  bear  witness  that  the  believer 
is  sometimes  very  desolate.  The  moon  does  not  always  shine  in 
a  cloudless  sky.  The  ships  do  not  always  sail  on  a  waveless  sea. 
The  believer  does  not  always  walk  in  the  smile  of  his  Father. 
(1.)  Outward  promdences  sometimes  cause  it,  when  they  come  un- 
expectedly upon  us  ;  when  we  cannot  see  God's  meaning  in  them  ; 
when  we  suspect  his  love,  and  fall  into  darkness.  So  Job  :  "  Let 
the  day  perish  wherein  I  was  born,  and  the  night  in  which  it  was 
said,  A  man-child  is  conceived."  (2.)  Sin  admitted  into  the  heart 
is  the  most  common  cause.  God  is  a  jealous  God.  So  Israel : 
"  She  said,  I  will  go  after  my  lovers  that  give  me  my  bread  and 
my  water,  my  wool  and  my  flax,  mine  oil  and  my  drink." 

3.  The  desolate  soul  pants  after  God.  So  it  was  with  Job:  "O 
that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him,  that  I  might  come  even  to 
his  seat."  So  it  was  with  the  bride :  "  I  will  rise  now  and  go 
about  the  city,  in  the  streets  and  in  the  broad  ways."  So  David : 
"  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  pantcth  my  soul 
after  thee,  O  God."  When  a  child  that  has  been  tenderly  brought 
up,  that  has  been  warmly  clad  and  comfortably  fed,  and  cared  for 
by  a  gentle  mother's  hand,  when  that  child  is  turned  out  on  the  cold 
world,  O  it  is  bitter  indeed  !  O  for  my  father's  roof!  O  for  my 
mother's  smile  !     So  it  is  with  a  child  of  light  walking  in  darkness. 

Invite  desolate  souls  to  come  to  God,  the  living  God.  Some  of 
you  may  be  feeling  like  a  ship  tossed  on  a  stormy  sea.  Deep 
calls  unto  deep,  at  the  noise  of  God's  waterspouts ;  all  the  waves 
and  billows  are  breaking  over  you.  Be  persuaded  to  close  with 
Christ,  freely  offered  to  you.  Put  away  entirely  the  question  as 
to  whether  you  ever  believed  before.  Believe  now.  This  ordi- 
nance is  pecuharly  fitted  for  you.  You  say  you  cannot  realize  a 
Saviour ;  well,  here  he  is  set  forth  plainly  in  bread  and  wine : 
"  This  is  my  body  broken  for  you."  You  say :  But  how  shall  I 
know  he  is  a  Saviour  to  me  ?  See,  here  the  bread  is  freely  offer- 
ed :  "  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freelv." 
You  say  :  But  how  do  I  know  he  is  still  offered  to  me  1  I  answer, 
"  Yet  there  is  room."  Here  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare.  You 
say :  But  may  I  really  close  with  him  ?  I  answer,  "  Take,  eat." 
O  panting  soul,  come  under  his  wings.  "  The  Spirit  and  the 
Bride  say.  Come." 
Dundee,  JVov.  4, 1838. — (Action  Sermon.) 


t94  SERMON    LXXXV. 


SERMON  LXXXV. 


THE    FIGHT    OF    FAITH. 


'  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith : 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day  :  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them 
also  that  love  his  appearing."— 2  Tim.  iv.,  7,  8. 

How  blessed  it  is  to  stand  by  the  death-bed  of  God's  children ! 
How  different  from  that  of  the  wicked  !  The  wicked  sometimes 
die  in  anguish.  Some  have  been  known  to  cry  out :  "  Lost,  lost, 
lost !  O  eternity  !  O  for  half  an  hour,  to  pray  !"  Some  die  in 
blasphemy,  cursing  God  for  their  pains  and  their  sores.  The 
greater  number  die  like  a  beast,  without  any  thought  or  care,  ex- 
cept for  the  body  :  "  They  have  no  bands  in  their  death,  but  their 
strength  is  firm.  They  are  laid  in  their  graves  like  sheep,  and  the 
upright  have  dominion  over  them  in  the  morning." 

How  sweet,  compared  with  these,  is  the  departure  of  God's 
children  !  They  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  :  "  I  am  ready  to  be  ofiered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand."  Paul  here  compares 
it,  1.  To  the  pouring  out  of  a  drink-offering:  "Yea,  and  if  I  be 
offered  upon  the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and  re- 
joice with  you  all." — Phil,  ii.,  17.  He  felt  so  entirely  dedicated 
and  given  away  to  God,  that  his  death  was  like  the  pouring  out  of 
the  wine-offering,  which  already  belonged  to  God.  2.  To  the  de- 
parture of  a  ship :  "  The  hour  of  my  departure  is  at  hand."  The 
things  of  time  were  like  the  cables  that  bound  him  to  this  world ; 
but  soon  his  bark  was  to  be  loosed  from  the  shore,  to  sail  forward 
to  the  h^hore  of  glory,  to  be  moored  for  evermore. 

In  these  words  we  have  the  secret  of  a  joyful  death-bed.  1. 
He  looks  back  upon  the  life  of  pain.  2.  He  looks  forward  to  the 
crown  of  glory. 

L  He  looks  hack.     Threefold  view. 

He  does  not  look  back  to  his  life  before  conversion  at  all.  He 
often  did  so,  but  it  was  to  condemn  it :  "I  was  before  a  blas- 
phemer, and  a  persecutor,  and  injurious  ;  but  I  obtained  mercy,  be- 
cause I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief." — 1  Tim.  i.,  13.  "For  I  am 
the  least  of  the  apostles,  that  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle, 
because  I  persecuted  the  Church  of  God." — l.Cor.  xv,,  9.  "Beyond 
measure  I  persecuted  the  Church  of  God,  and  wasted  it." — Gal.  i., 
"  I  am  the  chief."  Paul  never  forgot  his  old  life  ;  but  not  one  ray 
of  comfort  came  from  it,  only  condemnation.  It  was  his  life  since 
conversion  that  he  now  looked  to,  not  as  his  righteousness  before 
God,  but  only  as  showing  that  he  was  really  a  sinner  saved  through 
Christ. 

1.  /  have  fought  a  good  fight.     Every  day  since  his  conversion 


SERMON    LXXXV.  495 

he  had  been  fighting ;  he  had  been  passing  through  an  enemy's 
country,  and  had  to  fight  his  way.  (1.)  With  his  corruptions. 
"  Warring." — Rom.  viii.  "  Flesh  lusting." — Gal.  v.  "  A  thorn  in 
the  flesh." — 2  Cor.  x.  Paul  knew  what  these  inward  fightings  are. 
He  probably  experienced  them  more  than  any  one  hero.  (2.) 
With  the  world.  As  long  as  he  was  Saul  the  blasphemer,  the 
world  caressed  him ;  but  when  he  was  made  Paul  the  apostle,  the 
world  hated  him.  The  more  he  loved,  the  more  they  hated.  "I 
have  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus."  His  only  weapons  were  the 
word  of  God,  and  yet  he  fought  on  against  a  world  lying  in  wick- 
edness. (3.)  With  the  devil.  "  A  messenger  of  Satan."  *'  We 
wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood." — 2  Cor.  x.  He  had  experi- 
enced much  of  this.     "  We  are  not  ignorant  of  his  devices." 

Still  it  was  "a  good  fight." — 1  Tim.  i.,  18.  "War  a  good 
warfare."—!  Tim.  vi.,  12.  "  Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith."  Often 
when  we  are  in  the  midst  of  afflictions  and  temptations,  wc  grow 
weary  of  the  conflict.  It  is  a  hard  lot.  But  when  we  look  back 
from  eternity,  every  redeemed  soul  will  be  able  to  say  :  It  was  a 
good  fight.  (1.)  Because  we  are  sure  to  overcome.  "  Wo  are  more 
than  conquerors,  through  Him  that  loved  us."  In  otjier  battles  we 
know  not  how  it  will  go,  until  the  battle  is  done  ;  but  in  this  we 
have  a  sure  promise  of  victory.  We  have  sweet  glimpses  of  tri- 
umph even  in  the  thickest  of  the  battle,  sweet  confidence  in  Jesus. 
(2.)  It  keeps  us  close  to  our  Captain.  If  we  had  no  fight,  we 
would  not  keep  near  to  Jesus  ;  but  when  we  suffer  such  fearful 
attacks,  we  are  glad  to  hide  ourselves  under  Jesus's  wings.  (3.) 
Because  glorifying  to  God.  His  glory  is  involved  in  it.  Often 
we  would  wish  no  fight ;  but  not  so  in  glory.  There  we  shall  see 
that  every  trial  was  glorifying  to  God,  bringing  out  some  new  fea- 
ture of  his  grace,  power,  and  love.  Are  you  fighting  this  good 
fight  ?     Soon  we  shall  look  back. 

2.  /  have  finished  my  course. — The  moment  a  soul  is  brought 
to  Christ,  he  has  a  course  to  run :  "  And  as  John  fulfilled  his 
course,  he  said.  Whom  think  ye  that  I  am  ?  I  am  not  he.  But, 
behold,  there  cometh  one  after  me,  whose  shoes  of  his  feet  I  am 
not  worthy  to  loose."  Acts  xiii.,  25.  Paul  says:  "But  none  of 
these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself, 
so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which 
I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God."  Acts  xx.,  24.  "Wherefore,  seeing  we  also  are 
comp(!ssed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  besot  us,  and 
let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us."  Heb.  xii., 
1.  Every  one  has  a  different  course,  like  the  planets.  All  do  not 
shine  in  the  same  part  of  the  sky,  and  so  every  believer  has  his 
course  ;  a  work  to  do.  One  has  the  course  of  a  minister — another 
the  course  of  a  master — servant.  The  misery  of  inconsistencies ; 
leaving  the  course.     Each  of  us  has  a  work  to  do  for  Christ ;  let 


496  SERMON    LXXXV. 

US  do  it  diligently.  "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent 
me." 

3.  /  have  kept  the  faith. — I  think  the  dying  thief  could  say,  I 
believe,  and  enter  with  joy  into  paradise  ;  but  he  could  not  say, 
"  I  have  kept  the  faith."  This  makes  the  difference  between  a 
peaceful  and  a  triumphant  death-bed.  Paul  "  bought  the  truth, 
and  sold  it  not."  That  good  thing  committed  to  him  he  kept,  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  him.  He  held  the  beginning  of  his 
confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end. 

Learn  that  perseverance  in  the  faith  is  needful  to  a  triumphant 
death-bed.  It  is  Christ,  and  Christ  alone,  that  is  our  peace  in 
dying;  yet  the  hand  that  has  longest  held  him  has  the  firmest 
hold.  It  is  not  our  perseverance  that  is  our  righteousness  before 
God,  but  the  doing  and  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  yet  without 
perseverance  in  the  faith  ye  cannot  be  saved.  Alas!  you  that 
turn  aside  to  folly,  you  are  preparing  clouds  for  your  dying  bed. 
Can  you  say  you  have  kept  the  faith,  poor  backslider ! 

II.   What  he  looked  forward  to. 

1.  Thai  dqy. — "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuad- 
ed that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him 
against  that  day."  2  Tim.  i.,  12.  "  The  Lord  grant  unto  him 
that  he  may  find  mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day."  2  Tim.  i.,  18. 
A  great  day  of  Christ's  appearing,  and  all  his  saints  with  him.  It 
was  not  merely  the  day  of  death  to  which  he  looked  forward ; 
then  he  would  immediately  pass  into  glory ;  he  would  go  to  be  in 
Paradise  ;  he  would  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  present  with  the 
Lord ;  he  would  be  blessed  dying  in  the  Lord  ;  but  he  looked 
forward  to  that  day,  because  it  is  the  day  of  Christ's  full  glory ; 
the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart.  There  is  something  selfish 
in  merely  desiring  the  day  of  death ;  but  there  is  a  heavenly  joy 
in  looking  for  the  day  of  his  appearing. 

2.  The  crown  of  righteousness. — A  crown  of  glory ;  a  crown  of 
life ;  an  incorruptible  crown,  that  will  never  die ;  nor  shall  the 
wearer  die  any  more.  A  crown  of  righteousness  ;  a  crown  wait- 
ing those  that  have  put  on  the  armor  of  God  and  the  breastplate 
of  righteousness :  a  crown  laid  up.  It  is  ready  from  all  eternity. 
It  is  ready  now  when  we  are  fighting.     Your  crown  is  laid  up. 

3.  The  Lord  shall  give  it  me. — How  sweet  it  will  be,  when 
Christ  puts  on  the  crown  on  a  sinner's  brow  !  The  just  God  and 
Saviour  I  Angels  will  shout  for  joy  when  they  see  the  rig-hteous 
Jesus  crowning  the  sinners  for  whom  he  died.  He  will  finish  our 
redemption.  He  was  crowned  with  thorns  ;  he  has  been  an  advo- 
cate crowned  with  glory  and  majesty ;  but  another  step,  he  is  to 
put  on  the  crown  of  righteousness.  All  heaven  and  earth  and  hell 
own  him  faithful  and  true,  and  righteous  in  all  his  ways.  Oh ! 
how  sweet  to  be  crowned  by  Jesus. 

4.  Along  with  all  that  love  his  appearing. — One  thing  would 


SERMON    LXXXVI.  497 

make  us  sad :  Am  I  only  to  be  crowned  ?  No,  no ;  "  not  to  me 
only."  Paul  could  not  be  happy  in  heaven  without  seeing  others 
saved  along  with  him.  It  gave  him  joy  on  his  death-bed,  to  think 
that  myriads  and  myriads  besides  him  would  wear  the  crown, 
many  whom  he  had  been  the  means  of  saving. 
Dundee,  1S42. 


SERMON  LXXXVI. 

INTO  THINE  HAND  I  COMMIT  MY  SPIRIT. 

"  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit :  thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0  Lord  God  of 
truth." — Ps.  xxxi.,  5. 

There  is  something  peculiarly  sweet  in  these  words,  because  they 
are  the  words  used  by  the  Lord  Jesus  in  his  agony.  For  six  long 
hours  he  hung  upon  the  accursed  tree,  bearing  the  sins  of  many. 
No  thought  of  man  can  imagine  the  load  he  bore  :  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  The  vinegar  mingled  with  gall 
was  bitter,  but  it  was  nothing  to  the  cup  of  wrath  ;  the  pain  of  his 
mangled  body  was  terrible,  but  it  was  nothing  to  the  intense  agony 
of  the  sword  of  justice  that  pierced  him.  This  was  his  last  solemn 
cry :  "  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit;"  and  he  bowed 
his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  It  is  sweet  to  an  afflicted  sufferer 
to  use  the  same  words  as  Jesus.  It  is  sweet  to  use  the  words  of 
a  departed  friend.  We  treasure  them  in  our  memory,  and  embalm 
them  in  our  hearts.  But  what  friend  is  like  Jesus,  whose  words 
were  all  gracious  words  ? 

It  is  sweet  to  a  heavy-laden  convinced  sinner  to  take  up  the 
words  of  Jesus  in  the  40th  Psalm  :  "  Innumerable  evils  have  com- 
passed me  about,  and  mine  iniquities  have  taken  such  hold  upon  me 
that  I  am  not  able  to  look  up."  It  is  sweet  to  a  believing  soul  to 
take  up  his  words  in  Isa.  1.,  8  :  "He  is  near  that  justifieth  me ; 
who  is  he  that  will  contend  with  me  ?" 

And  so  it  is  sweet  for  a  poor  afflicted,  dying  worm  to  take  up 
these  sweet  words:  "  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit :  thou 
hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord  God  of  truth." 

Observe  three  things  : — 

1.  The  person  who  speaks — a  ternpted,  afflicted  soul.  Such 
was  David :  "  Pull  me  out  of  the  net." — Verse  4.  Satan  and  the 
world  had  cast  a  net  around  his  soul.  Snare  after  snare,  like  the 
meshes  of  a  net,  enclosed  him.  He  felt  himself  helpless  :  "  I  am 
forgotten  as  a  dead  man,  out  of  mind  ;  I  am  like  a  broken  vessel." 
Nowhere  can  he  go,  but  to  his  redeeming  God  :  "  Into  thine  hand 


498  SERMON    LXXXVI. 

I  commit  my  spirit :  thou  hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord  God  of 
truth." 

Such  2vas  the  Lord  Jesus:  "Many  bulls  have  compassed  me; 
strong  bulls  of  Bashan  have  boset  me  round.  They  gaped  upon 
mc  with  their  mouths  as  a  ravening  and  a  roaring  lion." — Ps. 
xxii.,  12.  Where  could  he  go  but  to  his  God  ?  "Into  thy  hands 
I  commend  my  spirit."  So  there  may  be  some  tempted,  afflicted 
here,  enclosed  in  the  net  of  Satan — beset  by  bulls  of  Bashan  ;  let 
him  take  up  his  sweet  word  :  "  Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my 
spirit." 

2.  The  person  lo  whom  he  speahs — The  Redeemer.  On  the 
one  side  there  is  a  worm  ;  on  the  other,  a  redeeming  God.  When 
the  Lord  Jesus  took  up  this  word  he  put  in  Father :  for  the  Father 
was  his  Redeemer.  When  he  had  finished  the  work  which  the 
Father  gave  him  to  do  ;  when  he  had  drunk  the  last  dregs  of  in- 
finite suffering;  he  could  look  up  and  claim  full  deliverance: 
•'  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  When  Stephen 
took  up  this  saying,  he  said  :  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 
The  Redeemer  seems  to  be  chiefly  meant;  he  that  bore  our  sins 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  not  excluding  the  other  persons  of 
the  Godhead.  It  is  a  poor,  guilty,  helpless  worm  looking  up  to 
him  that  died  for  us  :  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit,  O  Lord 
God,  faithful  and  true. 

3.  The  thmg  committed — "  My  spirit."  The  soul  of  man  is  the 
most  precious  part.  I  do  not  mean  to  speak  lightly  of  the  body — 
far  from  it.  It  is  the  creation  of  God,  and  though  frail,  and  about 
to  crumble  in  dust,  yet  it  is  a  dear  companion,  and  will  be  raised 
again  incorruptible.  But  the  spirit  is  the  precious  part.  "  What 
shall  it  profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own 
soul  ?"  The  soul  w' as  made  in  the  image  of  God.  It  is  this  which 
the  poor  tempted  soul  commits  to  the  great  Redeemer's  hands ; 
the  part  where  sin  commences,  and  bursts  forth  in  action  ;  where 
guilt  lies  heavy  ;  where  the  blood  of  Jesus  giveth  peace  ;  where 
Satan  tempts  the  spirit.  It  is  this  the  man  gives  in  charge  to  the 
great  Redeemer  of  souls. 

I.   The  times  lohen  we  should  do  this. 

1.  The  time  of  conversion.  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of 
Paul :  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he 
is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  against  that 
day."  Sometimes  conversion  is  described  in  the  B;ble  from  God's 
part  in  it:  Jesus  finding  the  lost  sheep;  Jesus  passin;;-  by,  and 
spreading  his  skirt  over  the  soul ;  the  Father  drawing  the  soul  to 
Jesus.  At  other  times  it  is  described  from  the  creature's  part : 
Coming  to  Jesus,  beholding  the  Lamb,  cleaving  to  Christ ;  or  as 
here,  committing  the  spirit  to  his  hands.  O  it  is  a  happy  day, 
when  a  poor  smner  discovers  that  his  spirit  is  wholly  lost  and  un- 
done ;  that  his  soul  is  like  the  leper's  body,  unclean,  unclean  ;  that 


SKRMON    LXXXVI.  499 

his  sins  are  infinite,  and  his  heart  a  rock  ;  a  fountain  of  pollution, 
unsearchable,  uncontrollable,  insufferable  ;  and  when  he  discovers 
Jesus  an  almighty  and  all-loving  Redeemer,  divine  and  gloi'ious  in 
his  person,  and  yet  wounded  and  broken  under  the  wrath  of  God, 
borne  for  us  ;  when  the  sinner  commits  his  poor,  guilty,  helpless, 
polluted  soul  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord  Jesus  !  Heavy-laden 
sinner,  commit  thy  soul  to  Jesus.  I.t  is  in  great  danger.  The  law 
condemns  thee.  Thy  sins  are  many — thy  deserved  hell  is  beyond 
thought  terrible.  Satan  is  resisting  thee  ;  tempting  thee  ;  beguil- 
ing thee.  Jesus  alone  can  save  :  "  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my 
spirit." 

2.  Time  of  temptation.  This  seems  to  have  been  peculiarly 
the  time  alluded  to  in  the  Psalm  :  "  Pull  me  out  of  the  net." 
Verse  4.  The  temptations  of  God's  children  are  very  dreadful. 
Often  a  child  of  God  goes  on  a  long  time  without  temptation.  He 
is  like  Naphtali,  "  satisfied  with  favor,  and  full  with  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord."  Perhaps  he  laughs  at  temptation,  and  thinks  it  will 
never  come  near  him.  Suddenly  the  sky  is  overcast,  a  strong 
current  of  temptation  is  allowed  to  set  upon  his  heart. 

"  Instead  of  this,  He  made  me  feel 
The  hidden  evils  of  my  heart ; 
And  let  the  angry  powers  of  hell 
Assault  my  soul  in  every  part." 

The  world  concurs.  Satan  stirs  up  all  his  malice.  What  hor- 
rors now  surround  the  tempted  soul  1  He  flies  to  his  knees :  but 
he  is  afraid  to  pray.  He  flics  to  his  Bible  ;  but  it  is  a  sealed 
book.  Sin  darkens  the  mind,  and  scares  him  away  from  prayer. 
All  the  while  God's  people  admire  and  praise,  though  their  words 
are  like  gall ;  what  can  help  the  tempted  man  ?  None  but  Jesus. 
O  to  discover  Jesus  in  such  an  hour  ! — the  Redeemer — that  died — 
that  lives — the  Advocate  with  the  Father  !  O  to  be  enabled  to 
commit  one  tempted  soul  into  his  hands  I  Poor  tenpted  soul  ! 
give  thyself  away  to  Jesus  ;  he  can  blot  out  the  sin,  and  change 
the  heart. 

3.  In  time  of  affliction.  Some  Christians  have  little  affliction. 
They  sail  on  a  smooth  sea ;  they  enjoy  health  of  body  for  years 
together  ;  they  never  knew  what  it  was  to  want  a  comfortable 
meal.  Death  has  perhaps  not  once  entered  their  dwelling.  They 
think  it  will  be  always  thus.  But  a  change  comes.  The  "  harp 
of  thousand  strings"  becomes  out  of  tune.  The  *•  clay  cottage" 
gives  tokens  of  decay,  or  grim  Want  invades  their  dwelling,  or 
Death  comes  up  into  the  window.  Ah  I  it  is  hard  to  bear.  No 
affliction  for  the  present  seems  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous.  Who 
can  comfort  ?  None  but  Jesus.  He  knew  all  sorrow — deeper 
sorrows  than  we  have  ever  known,  or  ever  will.  His  heart  is  not 
of  stone.  He  feels  along  with  us.  Afflicts  not  willingly.  Seeks 
to  bring  us  more  to  himself.     O  afflicted  believer,  commit  thy 


500  SERMON    LXXXVII. 

weeping,  suffering,  pining,  trennbling  soul  to  Jesus  :  "  Into  thine 
hand  I  commit  my  spirit." 

4.  In  time  of  duty.  Often  at  first  the  convert  thinks  only  of 
enjoynumt.  of  hearing  sermons,  enjoying  sacraments,  and  Chris- 
tian converse.  I  have  often  been  struck  how  often  the  inquiry  is 
made,  Did  you  enjoy  that  sacrament,  or  that  sermon  ?  How  sel- 
dom did  you  improve  it !  What  change  has  it  wrought  in  your 
life?  But  when  God  stirs  up  the  soul,  a  path  of  duty  is  seen 
stretching  before  it.  Often  perplexed  and  intricate,  often  steep 
and  slippery, often  dangerous  and  terrible.  Oh  !  what  shall  I  do? 
How  difficult  to  know  the  right  w^ay  ;  and  when  I  know  it,  how 
hard  to  follow  it !  Commit  thy  soul  to  Jesus.  "  In  him  are  hid 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  His  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee.  "  He  brings  the  blind  by  a  way  which  they  know  not."  He 
has  light  to  guide  thee,  strength  to  uphold,  and  grace  to  give  thee 
courage :  "  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit." 

5.  hi  time  of  death.  Few  ever  think  of  dying  till  dying  comes. 
The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  overcome  is  Death  ;  and  an  awful 
enemy  he  is.  We  go  alone.  No  earthly  friend  goes  with  us. 
We  never  went  the  way  before.  It  is  all  strange  and  new.  The 
i^esults  are  eternal.  If  we  have  not  rightly  believed,  it  is  too  late 
to  mend.  These  are  some  of  the  solemn  thoughts  that  oversha- 
dow the  soul.  What  can  give  peace  ?  None  but  Jesus ;  the 
tiight  of  Jesus  as  a  Redeemer  ;  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
for  ever ;  the  same  sight  we  got  when  first  we  knew  the  Lord  ; 
when  first  he  chose  us,  and  we  chose  him  ;  when  first  he  said, 
Seek  ve  my  face,  and  we  said  to  him.  Thy  face,  Lord,  shall  we 
seek  ?'  To  see  him  as  a  God  of  truth  ;  the  Lord  that  changes  not ; 
the  unchanging  One  ;  the  same  Jesus  ;  thus  to  see  him  and  to  cry, 
"  Into  thy  hands  I  commit  my  spirit ;"  this  is  peace. 

Dundee',  \S4:2. 


SERMON  LXXXVIL 

GREY  HAIRS  ARE  UPON  HIM. 

*'  Grey  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  not." — Hos.  vii.,  9, 

These  words  describe  a  state  of  secret  backsliding,  the  most  dan- 
gerous, perhaps,  of  any.  It  is  a  common  thing  for  persons  grown 
up  in  years  to  turn  old  and  grey-headed  without  observing  it. 
Most  people  are  unwilling  to  be  thought  old.  Tbey  do  not  love 
to  notice  the  progress  of  decay,  and  the  marks  of  old  age  are  al- 
lowed to  steal  upon  them  unobserved.  The  teeth  drop  out  one 
by  one.  the  hand  loses  its  steadiness,  the  limbs  lose  their  elasticity, 


SERMON    LXXXVIl.  501 

the  eye  becomes  dim,  and  grey  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon  the 
head,  and  we  are  in  old  age  before  we  are  aware.  So  is  it  in  the 
decay  of  the  soul  in  divine  things. 

It  is  a  solemn  and  most  affecting  truth,  that  the  life  of  God  in 
the  soul  is  subject  to  wither  and  decay.  It  cannot  really  die.  If 
God  has  once  given  spiritual  life  to  the  soul,  I  know  he  will  main- 
tain it  to  eternal  glory.  "  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which  con- 
cerneth  me.  Have  respect  unto  the  work  of  thine  own  hands." — 
Ps.  cxxxviii.,  8.  But  still  it  is  liable  to  many  and  sad  decays. 
This,  is  plain  from  Scripture.  God  says  :  "  Yet  I  had  planted  thee 
a  noble  vine,  wholly  a  right  seed  :  how,  then,  art  thou  turned  into 
the  degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine  unto  me?" — Jer.  ii.,  21. 
"Turn,  O  backsliding  children,  saith  the  Lord,  for  I  am  married 
unto  yoii." — Jer.  iii.,  14.  "  My  people  are  bent  to  backsliding  from 
me." — Hos.  xi.,  7.  Nevertheless  I  have  this  against  thee,  that 
thou  hast  left  my  first  love." — Rev.  ii.,  4. 

Alas  !  my  friends,  it  is  plain  from  ourselves.  Though  I  praise 
God  he  seems  to  be  adding  to  the  Church  among  you  still  "  such 
as  shall  be  saved,"  though  some  of  you  appear  to  be  going  from 
strength  to  strength,  yet  of  how  many  it  may  be  said  :  "  Grey  hairs 
are  here  and  there  upon  you,  and  you  know  it  not."  How  many 
have  lost  their  relish  for  the  house  of  God  !  It  is  not  with  you  as 
in  months  past.  The  Thursday  evening  is  not  so  prized  as  it  once 
was  ;  the  private  prayer-meeting  is  seldom  if  ever  visited  ;  the 
company  of  the  world  is  more  sought  after ;  the  company  of  Christ 
more  lightly  esteemed.  Is  there  not  less  zeal  for  the  conversion 
of  others,  less  prayer,  less  praise,  less  liberality?  Ah  !  brethren, 
we  as  a  congregation  are  a  monument  that  there  is  such  a  thing 
as  spiritual  decay. 

How  earnest  you  once  were  in  hearing  the  Word  of  God ! 
You  would  not  miss  an  opportunity,  week-day  or  Sabbath-day. 
You  heard  as  for  your  life.  Your  praises  were  fuller  and  more 
fervent  once  than  they  are  now.  How  careful  you  were  in  trea- 
suring up  the  Word  ;  repeating  it  to  yourselves,  and  your  children, 
and  your  companions  !  How  fervent  in  your  prayers  !  On  many 
of  your  hearts  I  fear  we  must  write,  "  Ichabod — The  glory  is  de- 
parted." 

Another  solemn  fact  is,  that  this  decay  is  always  secret  and  un- 
noticed. It  is  like  the  approach  of  old  age.  "Grey  hairs  are 
here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  not."  Old  people  never 
observe  the  gradual  advance  of  old  age.  In  general,  they  do  not 
like  to  think  of  their  getting  older.  So  it  is  in  the  decay  of  a  be- 
liever's soul.  It  goes  on  secretly  and  silently  ;  the  eye  of  faith 
becomes  dimmer  and  dimmer;  the  hand  loses  its  firm  hold  of  Je- 
sus ;  the  soul  loses  its  fresh  delight  in  Immanuel's  finished  work : 
and  yet  he  knows  it  not.  Sinful  compliances  steal  upon  the 
soul.  "  Grey  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth 
not." 


502  SERMON    LXXXVII. 

I.  Marks — some  of  the  ^'■grey  hairs" 

1.  The  Bible  neglected.  When  a  soul  is  first  brought  to  Christ, 
he  delights  in  the  word  of  God  ;  he  has  appetite  for  it  "as  a  new- 
born babe."  Just  as  an  infant  has  a  constant,  steadily-recurring 
appetite  for  its  mother's  milk,  so  has  the  soul  for  the  Word.  He 
has  spiritual  understanding  of  the  Word.  It  seems  all  sweei  and 
easy;  it  all  testifies  of  Jesus.  The  soul  grasps  the  meaning — 
earnestly  inquires  from  ministers  and  others  the  meaning  of  diffi- 
cult passages.  He  has  growth :  "  That  ye  may  grow  thereby." 
It  is  felt  to  be  the  daily  nourishment  of  the  soul — the  sword  to 
ward  off  temptation.  What  a  difference  in  decay  !  No  relish  for 
the  Word.  It  may  be  read  as  a  duty,  or  as  a  burdensome  task ; 
it  is  not  delighted  in.  Other  books  are  preferred  to  the  Bible. 
There  is  no  growing  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Word;  no  self- 
application  ;  no  receiving  it  with  meekness ;  no  frequent  recur- 
rence of  the  mind  to  the  chapter  read  in  the  morning  ;  no  an- 
swering Satan  by  "  Thus  it  is  written,"  and  "Thus  saith  the  Lord." 
Ah!  my  friends,  how  is  the  gold  become  dim!  "Grey  hairs  are 
here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  not." 

2.  Prayer  neglected.  "  Behold  he  prayeth,"  was  the  first  mark 
that  Paul  was  brought  from  death  to  life.  The  soul  enjoys 
great  nearness  to  God,  enters  within  the  veil,  lies  down  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus,  and  pours  out  its  groans  and  tears  there.  The  believer 
rises,  like  his  Lord,  a  great  while  before  day — waking  in  the  night 
— cries  in  secret  to  God  ;  before  entering  any  company,  or  meet- 
ing a  friend,  or  answering  a  proposal,  the  heart  would  wing  its 
way  to  the  mercy-seat ;  so  that  he  prayed  without  ceasing.  He 
poured  forth  earnest  cries  for  deliverance  from  sin — the  sins  he 
was  most  tempted  to,  he  prayed  most  against.  His  intercessions 
for  others  were  deep,  constant,  wide.  Once  it  was  sweet  and 
easy  to  pi'ay  for  others  :  "  Forbid  that  I  should  sin  against  God 
by  ceasing  to  pray  for  you."  All  this  secretly  changes.  The 
soul  is  far  from  God — no  putting  prayers  into  the  golden  censer — 
entering  within  the  veil — drawing  near.  No  early  rising  now  to 
pray,  no  cries  in  the  night — no  prayer  on  sudden  emergencies. 
We  now  frequently  answer  proposals  in  our  own  spirit,  without 
asking  counsel  of  the  Lord.  Little  praying  against  sin  now  !  We 
dare  not  pray  against  some  sin,  or  only  feebly,  and  without  re- 
solving to  forsake  it.  Little  intercession  now — little  bearing 
unconverted  friends  on  our  heart  before  God — little  prayer  for  the 
Church,  for  the  Jews,  and  the  Heathen.  Ah  !  these  are  some  of 
the  grey  hairs. 

3.  Christ  little  esteemed.  When  first  we  know  the  Lord,Christ 
IS  all  in  all.  He  is  the  Fountain  for  sin,  where  we  are  continu- 
ally washing  our  souls  from  sin  and  uncleanness.  Under  his 
white-shining  robes  we  are  continually  hiding  our  naked  souls. 
He  is  the  Rock,  giving  out  living  water,  which  ever  follows  us. 
He  is  the  compassionate  Husband  and  elder  Brother  on  whom  we 


SERMON    LXXXVII.  503 

lean,  coming  up  from  the  wilderness.  He  is  our  King,  at  whose 
feet  our  heart  is  laid  down,  that  he  may  reign  over  it  for  ever  and 
ever.  When  we  decay  it  is  not  so.  There  is  much  guilt  on  the 
conscience,  but  little  travelling  to  the  Fountain  ;  there  is  a  doubt 
and  dislike  of  the  way  of  Salvation  by  Christ.  There  is  little 
hiding  beneath  the  righteousness  without  works.  There  is  little 
drinking  out  of  the  Rock — it  seems  dry,  or  we  are  removed  from 
it  There  is  no  leaning  upon  Christ — no  sense  of  his  presence  by 
night  and  by  day.     Ah  !  this  is  a  sad  mark  of  grey  hairs. 

4.  Sin  not  haled.  When  first  we  knew  the  Lord,  how  did  sin 
appear  ?  We  had  awful  discoveries  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of 
sin.  It  appeared  evil  and  bitter  ;  the  load  that  had  crushed  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  the  lowest  hell ;  we  could  not  bear  it — we  fled 
from  temptation  with  our  whole  heart — we  were  quick-scented 
(Isa.  xi.,  3 — margin)  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  Like  those  animals 
that  quickly  scent  game,  so  the  new  creature  easily  discovered  the 
approach  of  sin,  and  fled  from  it.  Now  we  have  little  conviction 
of  sin.  Dry  eyes  in  confession — little  confession,  or  none  at  all ; 
no  time  set  apart  for  the  confession  of  sin.  Temptation  little 
feared,  the  soul  becomes  bolder  and  bolder  in  its  approaches  to 
sin. 

5.  Christians  lightly  esteemed.  Once  we  loved  all  that  loved 
the  Lord  ;  all  our  delight  was  in  them — the  mark  that  Christ  left 
as  the  mark  of  a  true  disciple  applied  to  us  :  "  By  this  shall  all 
men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to 
another." — John  xiii.,  3-5.  We  had  all  things  in  common  with 
them,  so  that  none  of  them  could  be  in  want ;  we  exhorted  one 
another  daily,  as  iron  sharpeneth  iron  ;  we  would  not  suffer  sin 
upon  our  brother ;  we  spoke  with  such  love,  and  frankness,  and 
humility,  that  they  could  not  be  offended.  Now  we  look  on  them 
with  coldness  ;  we  are  not  so  intimate  with  them — we  fear  lest 
they  see  our  guilt.  We  are  not  so  careful  of  the  poor  saints  as 
once  we  w^ere  ;  we  have  sworn  to  our  own  hurt,  and  we  begin  to 
change  ;  we  do  not  exhort  one  another  daily  ;  when  they  reprove 
us,  we  turn  angry,  and  we  do  not  reprove  in  love,  but  with  a 
bitter  spirit,  or  we  speak  evil  of  them  behind  their  back. 

6.  The  ungodly  not  warned.  Once  we  wept  over  them  in  secret — 
pleaded  with  God  night  and  day  for  their  conversion — abhorred 
their  ways  :  "  I  hate  the  work  of  them  that  turn  aside  ;  it  shall 
not  cleave  to  me." — Ps.  ci.,  3.  Now  our  bowels  do  not  yearn 
over  them — little  or  no  prayer  for  their  conversion ;  we  now, 
perhaps,  guiltily  smile  on  their  wicked  ways.  If  we  do  not  par- 
take, at  least  we  do  not  reprove  them. 

II.   Causes  of  decay. 

1.  A  lust  allowed  to  prevail.  So  with  Israel  :  "  They  are  all 
adulterers,  as  an  oven  heated  by  the  baker," — Hos.  vii.,  4.  This 
was   the  cause  of  Israel's  decay.      So  it  will  be  with  you  and 


504  SERMON    LXXXVII. 

me.  A  lust  for  money — a  sensual  lust — a  lust  for  praise  or  plea- 
sure, if  tampered  with,  and  suffered  to  prevail,  will  make  the  whole 
soul  wither.  For  a  time  you  begin  to  fight  against  it ;  then  your 
opposition  grows  weaker  ;  then  you  make  excuses  for  it  ;  then 
you  hide  it  from  yourself,  but  still  obey  its  power.  This  brings 
guilt  on  the  conscience  ;  takes  away  your  relish  of  the  Bible  ; 
makes  you  weary  of  the  mercy-seat.  This  makes  the  holy 
Saviour  little  prized  ;  this  makes  sin  little  hated.  Christians 
avoided,  and  the  ungodly  not  pitied.  0  my  brethren !  we  must 
either  be  enemies  of  all  sin,  or  we  shall  be  decaying,  withering 
branches.  One  lust  nourished  in  your  heart  will  be  a  viper  in 
your  bosom. 

2.  Worldly  company.  "  Ephraim,  he  hath  mixed  himself  among 
the  people." — Hos.  vii.,  8.  This  was  the  peculiar  character  of 
the  Jews  :  "  The  people  shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not  be  reck- 
oned among  the  nations  ;"  but  when  they  mixed  themselves  among 
the  nations,  then  grey  hairs  began  to  appear.  So  it  is  with 
Christians — they  are  a  peculiar  people.  Jesus  said  of  them  : 
"  They  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  1  am  not  of  the  world." 
We  are  as  completely  separated  from  the  world  as  Christ  was  ; 
we  have  got  blood  upon  us,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  us  ;  we  have 
peculiar  joys  and  peculiar  sorrows  ;  we  are  a  praying  people — a 
praising  people.  But  the  moment  we  begin  to  mix  with  the  un- 
godly, grey  hairs  begin  to  appear  :  our  souls  wither. 

Do  not  mistake  me.  If  God  has  cast  your  lot  in  an  ungodly 
family,  where  God  is  not  worshipped  ;  where  his  holy  name  is 
blasphemed  ;  where  his  word  is  not  read  ;  where  your  ears  are 
vexed  with  the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked  ;  be  not  cast  down. 
This  is  your  peculiar  trial  ;  and  God,  who  suits  the  back  to  the 
burden,  will  give  grace  according  to  your  day.  But  if  you  choose 
a  place  where  God  is  not;  if  you  choose  companions  who  have 
no  fear  of  God  ;  if  you  venture  into  companies  where  the  god  of 
this  world  reigns,  where  the  Bible  is  a  jest-book,  and  God's  minis- 
ters are  the  song  of  the  drunkard  ;  then  your  soul  will  and  must 
begin  to  wither. 

You  retire  to  your  closet,  and  open  your  Bible  ;  but  its  holy, 
pure  words,  are  not  sweet  to  your  taste.  You  kneel  and  fold  the 
hands  ;  but  prayer  is  a  burden :  you  have  no  spiritual  desires. 
You  name  the  name  of  Christ ;  but  he  does  not  appear  altogether 
lovely.  Sin  has  lost  its  frightful  look.  Lively  Christians  are  now 
too  exact  and  precise  for  you.  Alas  !  it  is  not  with  you  as  in 
months  past.  The  crown  has  fallen  from  your  head.  Woe  unto 
you,  because  you  have  sinned  ! 

III.  Cure. 

1.  You  may  he  cured.  "  O  Ephraim,  thou  hast  destroyed  thy- 
self, but  in  me  is  thine  help.  Thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with 
many  lovers,  yet  return  again  to  me,  saith  the  Lord."     Satan  will 


SERMON    LXXXVIII.  505 

tempt  you   to  say,  There   is   no   hope — no,   for  I  have   loved 
strangers  ;  but  tliis  is  a  lie.     Remember,  in  Ciirist  there  is  hope. 

2.  Search  out  the  cause.  Your  heart  will  be  most  unwilling  to 
find  it  out,  but  you  must  find  it  out.  It"  you  were  in  a  sinking 
ship,  the  first  thing  is  to  find  the  leak  ;  so  you  must  find  the  leak 
in  your  soul.  Is  it  an  idol  ? — lay  it  bare.  Trace  back  your  feel- 
ings till  you  find  it  out.  Is  it  some  lust  you  indulge  ? — make  it 
out.  Is  it  worldly  company  ? — note  it — put  your  finger  on  it. 
Say,  This  is  the  Achan  in  my  heart — this  is  the  troubler. 

3.  Get  forgiveness  of  it.  Confess  it  over  the  head  of  the  Scape- 
goat :  plunge  it  into  the  Fountain  opened  for  sin.  Jesus  is  crying  : 
•'  Return  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee." 

5.  Slay  the  Trouble)'.  Do  with  it  as  they  did  with  Achan. 
Seek  the  Holy  Spirit's  indwelling  power  to  slay  the  troubler,  that 
it  never  rise  up  any  more.  O  my  friends  !  if  we  would  thus  seek 
reformation,  we  would  be  the  better  of  our  falls  ;  we  would  get 
honey  out  of  the  lion's  carcass.  Awake  !  awake,  my  friends  I 
hell  is  as  deep  as  ever  it  was  ;  Christ  as  free  ;  your  souls  as  pre- 
cious ;  your  eternity  is  nearer  and  nearer.  O  how  foolish  to  deny, 
instead  of,  like  Caleb,  following  the  Lord  fully  !  "  Be  ye  stead- 
fast, immovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  for- 
asmuch as  ye  know  that  your  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the 
Lord." 


SERMON   LXXXVIII. 


GRIEVE    NOT    THE    HOLY    SPIRIT. 


"  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemp- 
tion."—Eph.  iv.,  30 

I.   The  holy  familiarity  of  the  Spirit  in  a  believing  soul. 

I.  He  dwells  in  it.  John  xiv.,  17  ;  Ezek.  xxxvi.,  20;  1  Cor.  vi., 
19;  2  Cor.  vi.,  16.  2.  He  teaches  there.  John  xvi.,  13;  1  John 
ii.,  20.     3.  He  prays  there.  Jude20;  Rom.  viii,,26.     4.  He  seals. 

II.  How  he  may  be  grieved. 

Something  analogous  to  grief,  anger,  desire,  in  God.  Take 
away  all  imperfection  from  these  passions.  When  God  was 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  he  was  angry  at  sin,  grieved,  wept,  longed. 
So  the  Spirit  is  grieved.  The  same  effect  as  in  a  grieved  person 
— withdraws.  1.  Putting  his  work  for  Christ's  work.  2.  Not 
leaning  all  on  him.  3.  Not  following  his  leadings.  4.  Despis- 
ing ordinances. 

When  we  become  Christians,  we  become  acquainted  with  the 
persons  of  the  Godhead.     An  unconverted  soul  knows  nothing, 


506  SERMON    LXXXVIII. 

and  thinks  nothing  about  the  Holy  Spirit.  How  strange  and  fool- 
ish must  such  a  command  as  this  appear  to  many  of  you  !  Paul 
is  dissuading  from  filthy,  corrupt  talking,  and  the  argument  he 
uses  is, ''Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God."  You  would  under- 
stand, Grieve  not  your  minister,  or  father,  or  godly  friend ;  but 
what  can  you  make  of  this,  "Grieve  not  the  Holy'Spirit  of  God?" 

III.  Application. 

1.  Because  it  is  so  ungrateful.  2.  You  will  lose  your  peace 
with  God.     3.  You  will  fall  deeper  into  sin. 

I.  The  lioly  friendship  of  the  Spirit  in  the  believing  soul. 

The  very  words,  "  Grieve  not,"  show  this.  It  is  the  part  of  a 
friend  to  be  grieved  when  we  do  wrong.  An  enemy  would  rejoice, 
or  an  unfeeling  person  might  be  angry,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
grieved.  This  shows  his  holy,  tender  friendship  for  the  justified 
soul.  It  is  true,  it  is  not  possible  for  God  the  Holy  Spirit  to  suffer 
grief  in  exactly  the  same  sense  in  which  we  do,  for  that  would  im- 
ply that  he  was  not  unchangeably  happy  ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  all 
that  is  holy,  excellent,  and  perfect  in  our  grief  at  the  sin  of  another, 
everything  except  what  would  imply  imperfection.  Accordingly, 
when  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  these  emotions  of  the  God- 
head showed  themselves  in  the  tears  and  groans  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

1.  He  dwells  in  the  soul:  ''  I  will  put  my  l^pirit  within  you." — 
Ezek.  xxxvi.,  26.  "  The  Spirit  of  truth  whom  the  world  cannot 
receive,  he  dwelleth  in  you." — John  xiv.,  17.  "What!  know  ye 
not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  in 
you  ?" — 1  Cor.  vi.,  19.  "I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them." 
— 2  Cor.  vi.,  10.  Can  there  be  imagined  a  more  intimate  friend- 
ship than  tills?  Other  friends  may  live  in  the  same  house  with 
us,  mingle  tears  and  prayers  together,  take  sweet  counsel  together; 
but  he,  the  blessed  Comforter,  dwells  in  our  body ;  dwells  in  us 
and  walks  in  us.  Can  there  be  a  more  condescending  friendship? 
It  was  amazing  condescension  when  the  Son  of  God  was  made 
flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.  It  is  hardly  less  wohderfal  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God  should  come  down  and  dwell  in  a  clay  cot- 
tage beside  such  a  wicked  heart. 

2  He  teaches  there:  "  Howbeit  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is 
come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth."  There  is  no  greater  kind- 
ness than  to  teach  the  ignorant,  to  bear  with  a  dull  scholar,  to 
teach  as  the  scholar  is  able  to  bear.  It  is  great  condescension, 
when  a  man  of  gigantic  powers,  who  might  guide  the  councils  of 
nations,  or  wield  the  sceptre  of  the  world,  sits  down  to  teach  the 
alphabet,  like  John  Eliot,  to  a  child.  This  is  what  the  Spirit  does. 
It  was  amazing  love  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  come  as  a  teacher,  to 
open  his  mouth  in  parables,  and  to  explain  all  things  so  simply, 
with  such  majesty,  authority,  simplicity,  love  and  long-suffering ; 
but,  ah  !  surely  it  is  no  less  amazing  love  in  the  Spirit,  to  come 
and  teach  sinners  by  his  own  secret  breathings ;  to  open  their. 


SERMON    LXXXVIII.  507 

understandings ;  to  take  of  the  things  of  Jesus  and  show  them 
unto  us ;  so  that  we  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and 
know  all  tilings. — 1  John  ii.,  20.  Ah,  how  the  Spirit  bears  with 
our  backwardness  in  learning  the  divine  lesson,  strives  to  remove 
our  ignorance ;  strives  in  our  heart  and  upon  the  page  of  the 
Bible  !  How  this  shows  the  holy  friendship  and  familiarity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  believing  soul ! 

3.  He  prays  there  :  "  We  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of 
bondage  again  to  fear,  but  we  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father."  "  Likewise  the  Spirit  also 
helpcth  our  infirmities  ;  for  we  know  not  what  to  pray  for  as  we 
ought  :  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groan- 
ings  that  cannot  be  uttered." — Rom,  viii.,  15,  2G.  "  Praying  in 
the  Holy  Ghost." — Judc  20.  It  is  an  act  of  pure  friendship  to 
teach  one  to  pray.  It  is  often  the  believing  mother's  part  to  lead 
her  child  in  prayer,  teaching  it  to  lisp  after  her  desires  lor  divine 
things  ;  but  ah  I  how  much  more  than  a  mother's  tenderness  does 
the  Spirit  show,  when  he  puts  the  very  desires  into  our  hearts — 
groans  within  us  !  It  is  an  act  of  intimate  friendship  to  pray  with 
one  another !  what  must  it  be  to  pray  in  another  ?  This  is  the 
Spirit's  friendship. 

4.  He  seals  :  "  Whereby  ye  are  sealed  to  the  day  of  redemp- 
tion." "  After  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise."  Eph.  i.  A  friend  who  is  much  with  you,  leaves  a 
pleasing  impression  behind  ;  his  words,  his  sentiments,  have  an 
effect  on  your  mind.  When  you  have  a  holy  friend,  he  leaves  a 
fragrance  behind  that  abides  with  you.  This  is  one  of  the  happy 
effects  of  sanctified  friendship.  Such  was  the  impression  which 
David  made  on  Jonathan.  But  hov^^  much  more  wonderful, 
blessed,  and  indelible,  is  the  impression  made  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
dwelling  in  the  heart  I  It  is  compared  to  the  impression  made 
by  a  seal  on  wax,  and  it  is  to  the  day  of  redemption.  Ah, 
my  friends!  does  this  Friend  dwell  in  you?  Is  your  body  a 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost?  Are  you  scaled  to  the  day  of  re- 
demption'? "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none 
of  his." 

II.   Ways  of  grieving  the  Spirit. 

I  have  already  shown  you  that  the  grief  the  Holy  Spirit  feels 
is  the  same  as  ours,  only  without  any  of  the  sin  or  imperfection. 
Jesus  '*  looked  round  on  them  with  anger,  being  grieved  for  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts."  What  tlie  divine  nature  of  Jesus  then 
felt,  the  Holy  Spirit  feels  at  the  sight  of  sin.  "  Jesus  turned  and 
looked  upon  Peter."  We  are  not  told  what  kind  of  look  it  was, 
but  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  one  of  grief;  as  if  he  had  said.  Did  I 
not  tell  thee,  Peter,  what  thy  boasting  would  come  to?  What 
passed  in  the  divine  mind  of  the  Lord  Jesus  at  that  moment,  is 
what  the  Holy  Spirit  feels  at  sin  in  believers. 


508  SERMON    LXXXVIII. 

1.  Putting  the  Spirit's  work  in  the  place  of  Christ's.  The  prin- 
cipal office  of  the  Spirit  is  to  glorily  Christ.  "  He  shall  glorify 
me,  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine  and  shall  show  it  unto  you." — 
John  xvi,,  14.  When  the  three  thousand  were  brought  to  receive 
Christ  gladly  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  it  was  the  Spirit  who  open- 
ed their  hearts  and  eyes.  He  loves  this  work.  It  is  sweet,  God- 
glorifying  work,  to  reveal  Jesus  to  sinners  as  all  their  righteous- 
ness. But  many  look  in  for  righteousness  ;  they  begin  to  look  to 
their  sanctification  for  peace  ;  they  begin  to  look  to  the  work  of 
the  Spirit  in  them  for  righteousness,  instead  of  the  work  of  the  Son 
for  them.  This  grieves  the  Spirit.  This  is  quite  contrary  to  the 
divine  plan  of  salvation — dishonors  the  law — makes  Christ  dead 
in  vain. 

2.  Not  leaning  all  on  Him.  Another  main  part  of  the  Spirit's 
work  is  to  uphold  the  believer  in  holy  living.  "  Uphold  me  with 
thy  free  Spirit" — "  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk" — "  Thy  Spirit  is  good,  lead  me" — "  Without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing."  This  is  the  sanctifying  work  of  the  Lord  the  Spirit, 
which  none  can  do  but  he  ;  and  he  is  able  to  do  it.  But  often  a 
believer  dare  not  trust  the  Spirit.  He  says  :  I  perish ;  I  know 
not  what  to  do  ;  my  lusts  are  too  strong  ;  I  shall  surely  fall.  O 
ye  of  little  faith,  where  is  your  faith  ?  This  grieves  your  indwell- 
ing Friend.  Did  not  I  say  I  would  not  leave  thee  ?  Did  not  I 
say  I  would  uphold  thee  ?  Lean  on  me ;  fear  not.  Often  we 
lean  on  something  else  ;  on  promises  ;  resolutions ;  good  princi- 
ples ;  past  experiences.  Ah  !  this  is  not  leaning  on  the  simple 
promise  of  Jesus  and  the  power  of  the  unseen  Spirit.  This  is 
grieving  your  Friend. 

3.  Not  following  his  leadings.  When  Jesus  was  on  earth,  he 
led  his  disciples  from  place  to  place,  and  they  followed  the  Lamb. 
"  Let  us  go  into  Judea  again — let  us  depart  to  the  other  side." 
Had  they  refused,  this  would  have  grieved  him  ;  it  would  have 
shown  want  of  confidence.  In  like  manner,  when  the  apostles  set 
out  on  their  mission  to  the  Heathen,  they  were  forbidden  by  the 
Spirit  to  enter  one  country.  "  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul, 
for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them."  Had  they  neglect- 
ed the  command  of  the  Spirit,  this  would  have  grieved  him.  So, 
now,  when  believers  are  led  by  the  Spirit,  when  the  Spirit  cries 
"  Abba"  within  them — when  a  spirit  of  supplication  is  given  ;  a 
yearning  in  prayer  over  others  ;  if  we  do  not  take  heed,  if  we 
restrain  prayer,  this  is  grieving  the  Spirit.  If  we  were  going  into 
unlawful  company  ;  some  feast  where  Jesus  is  not ;  if  a  godly 
companion  were  to  pull  us  back,  and  say,  "  Ah !  do  not  go,  you 
vi'ill  hurt  your  soul" — would  it  not  grieve  him  if  we  were  to  thrust 
him  asidei  and  quench  his  warning:?,  and  rush  into  the  place  of  sin? 
This  is  what  many  of  you  do  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  warns — 
pricks  the  heart — you  persevere  in  your  sin.  Ah  !  grieve  not — 
quench  not. 


SERMON    LXXXIX.  509 

4.  Despising  ordinances.  These  arc  the  meeting-places  with 
the  Spirit,  the  wells  of  salvation.  If  you  break  appointment  with 
a  dear  friend,  you  slight  and  grieve  him  ;  he  goes  away  ;  so  with 
the  Spirit. 

III.  Application. 

1.  Because  it  is  ungrateful.  When  Peter  met  the  eye  of  Jesus, 
and  saw  the  grief  he  had  occasioned  him,  he  went  out  and  wept 
bitterly.  This  is  what  you  should  do  who  have  grieved  the  Spirit. 
It  is  he  that  brought  you  to  Christ.  Do  you  thus  requite  the  Lord 
the  Spirit  ?     Has  he  deserved  this  at  your  hands  ? 

2.  You  will  lose  your  peace  with  God.  The  grieved  Spirit  with- 
draws ;  the  seal  becomes  dim,  and  disappears ;  guilt,  confusion, 
unbelief,  doubt,  fear,  crowd  upon  the  soul.  Othe  misery  that  you 
procure  to  your  own  soul !  "  Thine  own  wickedness  shall  correct 
thee." 

3.  You  will  fall  into  deeper  sin.  The  grieved  Spirit  withdraws, 
but  without  him  you  can  do  nothing ;  you  cannot  pray,  you  can- 
not walk  towards  the  land  of  uprightness ;  you  sink  deeper  and 
deeper.  Ah  !  my  brethren,  you  who  have  grieved  the  Spirit,  and 
are  sinking  deeper  and  deeper  into  sin,  let  this  very  thought 
awaken  you,  that  you  know  not  where  your  sin  will  stop,  unless 
you  now  turn  back  to  Jesus. 

Dear  believers,  walk  tenderly  with  this  dear  Friend.  Do  not 
grieve  him  in  anything.  Let  him  reign  in  you  and  over  you. 
Lean  on  him,  follow  his  leadings,  often  pray  for  him.  Soon  we 
shall  be  his  entirely. 


SERMON  LXXXIX. 

YE  WILL  NOT  COME  TO  ME. 
'  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life." — John  v.,  40. 

There  is  nothing  more  affecting  in  the  Gospel  narratives  than  to 
read  of  the  vast  multitudes  who  heard  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  remained  unsaved.  He  stood  in  the  midst  of  them, 
the  Saviour  of  the  world,  willing  and  able  to  save  them  to  the 
very  uttermost ;  he  stretched  out  his  hands  all  the  day.  Each 
one  of  that  crowd  needed  him ;  he  was  the  only  one  who  could 
save  them,  the  only  hiding-place  for  their  souls  ;  and  yet  they 
were  not  saved.  Oh  !  why  was  this  ?  Hear.  "  Ye  will  not  come 
unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  The  same  affecting  scene  is 
still  before  you :  Jesus  is  in  the  midst ;  you  all  need  him ;  but  ye 
will  not  come  to  him  that  ye  might  have  life. 


510  SERMON    LXXXIX. 

I.   What  is  in  the  hand  of  Jesus  ? — Life. 

Jesus  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  poor  hell-aeserving 
sinners,  declares  that  in  his  hand  there  is  life.  He  here  implied 
that  all  nroimd  were  dead,  void  of  life,  and  that  in  his  hand  alone 
they  could  find  life. 

This  life  is  of  three  kinds. 

1.  Life  judicial — that  is,  pardon ;  so  verse  24 :  "  Is  passed 
from  death  unto  life."  "He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life." — 1  John 
v.,  12.  '•  Believing,  ye  might  have  life  through  his  name." — John 
XX.,  31.  Every  one  of  that  crowd  was  lying  under  sentence  of 
death  on  account  of  sin  ;  there  was  none  righteous,  no,  not  one. 
All  were  ready  to  perish.  Some  of  them  knew  it,  and  had  dark 
forebodings  ;  most  of  them  did  not  know  it,  and  did  not  care  about 
it.  Still  it  was  true  of  all ;  all  were  under  sin,  all  condemned  to 
die  the  second  death,  poor  condemned  criminals ;  the  sentence  of 
the  law  had  gone  out  against  them,  and  any  one  moment  might 
be  put  in  execution.  In  Jesus's  hand  there  was  life — a  way  o. 
pardon  open  and  free  to  them  all.  "  In  him  was  life."  He  came 
into  the  world,  and  died  in  such  a  way  that  he  could  honestly  anf( 
truly  offer  himself  to  every  creature  as  their  Surety  and  Saviour 
This  is  still  the  same;  you  all  need  life  judicial;  you  are  under- 
lying the  curse  of  a  broken  law.  All  in  this  assembly  who  have 
not  come  to  Christ,  are  under  sentence  of  eternal  death.  But 
there  is  life  in  the  hand  of  Jesus ;  the  Lord  Jesus  offers  himself  to 
each  of  you  as  your  complete  surety.  O  how  sad  that  the  most 
will  not  come  to  Christ  that  they  may  have  life  ! 

2.  Life  Spiritual — that  is,  inward  holiness,  spoken  of  in  verse 
25,  "  The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  :  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live."  He  had  been  telling  them  that  the  Father 
had  given  him  authority  to  quicken  whom  he  will.  It  is  a  hidden 
life. — Col.  iii.,  3.  It  is  Christ  living  in  the  soul. — Gal.  ii.,  20.  All 
the  crowd  around  him  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  like  the 
dry  bones,  very  many  and  very  dry.  But  here  was  the  Fountain 
of  living  water,  the  Rock  smitten,  and  the  life-giving  stream 
gushing  ibrth  :  enough  to  quicken  ten  thousand  worlds.  The  same 
scene  is  still  here,  "  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day, 
and  for  ever."  He  is  the  Unseen  present ;  in  his  hand  is  the 
fountain  of  a  new  life.  Your  souls  are  dead,  your  will  dead, 
heart  dead,  mind  dead  to  God  and  divine  things.  O  that  you 
would  come  to  him  and  find  life  !  You  need  your  eye  quickened, 
to  see  him  ;  your  eai%  to  hear  him  ;  your  heart,  to  receive  him  ; 
your  whole  soul,  to  close  with  him.  There  is  a  fulness  of  spiritual 
life  in  Christ :  "  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  thou  wouldest 
have  asked  of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water." 
— John  iv.,  10. 

3.  Life  of  glory — called  in  the  Word  "eternal  life"  and  "  ever- 
lasting life  :"  "  The  righteous  into  life  eternal." — Matt,  xxv.,  46. 
"  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life." — John  x.     "  Whoso  believeth  in 


SERMON    LXXXIX.  51  I 

him  should  have  everlasting  life." — John  iii.,  16.  "  He  that 
soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting." — 
Gal.  vi.,  8.  All  around  were  on  the  way  to  the  second  death. 
"  Her  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers  of 
death,"  standing  over  the  lake  of  fire.  Jesus  had  eternal  life  in 
his  hand,  ready  to  give  the  right  to  it,  the  foretaste  of  it,  and 
itself  in  due  time,  No  wonder  he  cried  so  earnestly.  So  now 
every  unpardoned  soul  is  on  the  way  to  death,  over  the  lake  of 
fire.     Jesus  has  everlasting  life. 

II.   The  witnesses. 

1.  John:  "Ye  sent  unto  John,  and  he  bare  witness  to  the 
truth." — Verse  33.  Compare  John  i.,  7  :  "The  same  came  for  a 
witness,  to  bear  witness  of  the  Light."  God  raised  up  John,  on 
purpose  that  he  might  point  men  to  Jesus  ;  and  so  he  did.  He 
was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light,  and  they  were  willing  for  a 
season  to  rejoice  in  his  light.  When  he  told  them  of  the  life  to  be 
had  in  Jesus,  they  were  glad  for  a  season ;  and  yet  they  did  not  come 
to  Christ  to  have  life.  So  with  you  ;  a  standing  ministry  is  still  in 
the  midst  of  you.  However  weak  and  dim  the  light,  still  it  points 
to  Jesus  :  and  I  may  add,  you  have  been  willing  for  a  season  to 
rejoice  in  the  light.  Ye  seem  to  love  to  hear,  and  yet  ye  will  not 
come. 

2.  The  works.  (1.)  The  miracles  of  Christ.  He  had  just  been 
healing  a  man  thirty-eight  years  impotent.  He  healed  all  that 
came,  cleansed  lepers,  turned  water  into  wine,  raised  the  dead  : 
all  these  bare  witness  of  him  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God  with 
power.  (2.)  The  quickening  of  dead  souls  :  "The  Father  loveth 
the  Son,  and  showeth  him  all  things  that  himself  doeth  :  and  he 
will  show  him  greater  works  than  these,  that  ye  may  marvel. 
For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead  and  quickeneth  them  ;  even 
so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will." — Verses  20,  21.  Greater 
works  than  these  !  The  quickening  of  a  dead  soul  is  a  far  greater 
miracle  than  raising  a  dead  body  ;  both  are  beyond  man,  but  the 
latter  is  most  divine.  Jesus  had  quickened  some,  his  own  few 
disciples,  the  Samaritans.  These  works  bore  witness  of  him. 
So  still,  saved  souls  in  the  midst  of  you  are  Christ's  witnesses, 
showing  you  that  there  is  a  way  of  pardon,  and  yet  ye  will  not 
come. 

3.  The  Father:  "  The  Father  himself  which  hath  sent  me,  hath 
borne  v/itness  of  me." — Verse  37.  At  Christ's  baptism  and  trans- 
figuration :  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
The  inward  teaching  and  drawing  of  the  Father. — John  vi.,  45. 
The  Father  had  no  doubt  striven  with  many  of  them  ;  and  so 
with  many  of  you,  yet  ye  will  not  come. 

4.  The  Scriptures.  The  whole  Bible  is  the  record  concerning 
Jesus. — Luke  xxiv.  The  Law  of  Moses  speaks  of  Jesus  in 
type  ;  the  Prophets  tell  of  Jesus  in  prophecy  ;  the  Psalms,  the 


512  SERMON    LXXXIX. 

inward  workings  of  his  heart  ;  the  Gospels,  the  narrative  of  his 
outward  life  ;  the  Epistles,  the  scheme  of  salvation  by  him  ;  the 
Revelation,  his  future  glorious  coming.  All,  all  tell  of  Jesus  ; 
Jesus  pervades  the  Bible;  it  is  the  standing  witness  to  Jesus. 
There  may  be  no  faithful  ministry  in  the  land,  no  works  of  con- 
version going  on  ;  the  Father's  drawings  may  be  awanting  ;  still 
the  Bible  is  God's  faithful  witness  to  Jesus.  The  written  Word 
testifies  of  the  living  Word.  Hence  Moses  will  accuse  you  to 
the  Father ;  so  it  is  now,  and  yet  ye  will  not  come. 

III.   The  reason  why  men  are  not  saved. 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  the  only  reason  Christ  dwells  on  here 
is,  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me."  He  does  not  say.  There  is  no 
pardon  for  you ;  no  grace  for  you  in  my  hand.  On  the  contrary, 
he  says  to  those  who  were  probably  reprobates :  "  Ye  will  not 
come  unto  me."  Christ  could  have  mentioned  other  reasons.  1. 
He  could  have  spoken  of  the  decrees  of  God.  "  Ye  believe  not, 
because  ye  are  not  of-  my  sheep."  John  x.,  26.  "  As  many  as 
were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed."  Every  thinking  man 
must  know  and  feel  that  none  will  ever  come  to  Christ  but  those 
who  were  given  him  by  the  Father  from  all  eternity.  2.  Christ 
could  have  spoken  of  their  dead  souls,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 
He  could  have  shown  them  that  their  hearts  were  dead,  wills 
dead,  souls  dead.  He  could  have  shown  them  that  unless  he  made 
them  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  they  never  would  come. 
But  he  does  not  touch  on  these  things.  3.  The  only  reason  he 
dwells  on  is  this :  •'  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me."  Why  ?  Because 
he  thus  brings  them  in  guilty  of  wilful  rejection  of  him. 

Some  of  you  may  not  be  able  to  reconcile  these  things.  If  I  am 
decreed  to  be  lost,  how  can  I  be  blamable  ?  Christ  could  reconcile 
them,  and  therefore  said,  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me." 

And  why  will  ye  not  ? 

1.  Some  ignorant;  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness.  I  believe 
there  are  many  of  you  quite  ignorant  of  the  way  of  life  in  the  hand 
of  Jesus.  "  If  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into  the 
ditch."     "  My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge." 

2.  Some  do  not  feel  pressing  need.  The  winter's  cold  drives 
the  little  birds  near  the  houses  ;  want  makes  them  bold  ;  so  if  you 
felt  your  pressing  need,  you  would  draw  near  by  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

3.  Love  of  lusts.  "  How  can  ye  believe,  which  receive  honor 
one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God 
only?"  Verse  44.  Many  love  life  judicial,  and  life  eternal,  but 
not  life  spiritual.  They  do  not  wish  to  be  sanctified.  "  He  shall 
save  his  people  from  their  sins."  But  you  love  your  lust;  you 
love  the  darkness,  and  come  not  to  the  light. 

1.  Think  how  you  will  meet  Jesus  in  the  judgment-day.  He 
will  say,  "  I  would  often  have  gathered  you,  and  you  would  not. 
I  sent  unto  you  all  my  witnesses,  rising  up  early  and  sending  them, 


SERMON    XC.  513 

and  you  would  not.     I  pleaded  with  you  in  affliction,  showed  you 
the  vanity  of  all  the  creatures,  but  you  would  not  come  to  me. 

2.  Think  how  you  will  bear  the  reflection  in  eternity.  When 
you  have  tasted  all  the  realities  of  hell  for  a  thousand  years,  this 
will  add  bitterness  to  all ;  I  might  have  been  in  heaven  this  day, 
but  only  I  would  not  come  to  Jesus  that  I  might  have  life.  O 
cursed  folly,  cursed  pride,  cursed  ignorance,  that  kept  me  back 
from  the  Saviour  of  the  world  !     Arise,  plead  thine  own  cause. 

October  8,  1842. 


SERMON  XC. 

NOT  ASHAMED  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

"  So,  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  you  that  are  at  Rome 
also.  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ :  for  it  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek 
For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith  :  as  it  is  writ- 
ten. The  just  shall  live  by  faith.  For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven 
against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  un- 
righteousness."— Rom.  i.,  15-18. 

1.  Where  Paul  desired  to  preach:  "I  am  ready  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  you  that  are  at  Rome  also."  Rome  was  at  that  time 
the  mightiest  city  in  the  whole  world.  Daniel  compared  it  to  a 
beast  with  iron  teeth  stamping  other  kingdoms  with  its  feet.  It 
was  called  the  mistress  of  the  world.  Yet  there  Paul  was  willing 
to  preach  the  Gospel.  It  was  the  most  learned  city  of  the  world. 
Its  poets,  painters,  orators,  historians  of  the  Augustan  age,  were 
famed  over  the  whole  world.  Some  of  the  most  perfect  specimens 
of  human  composition  that  ever  were  produced  were  published  at 
Rome  at  that  very  time.  It  was  the  most  wicked  city  of  the 
world.  The  pollutions  that  flowed  through  its  streets  were  equal 
to  those  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  The  emperor  was  one  of  the 
most  cruel  monsters  that  ever  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  man. 
That  was  the  place  where  Paul  burned  with  a  flame  of  desire  to 
be  allowed  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

2.  What  Paul  desired  to  preach  :  "  The  Gospel,  the  Gospel  of 
Christ."  It  was  not  to  see  Rome  that  Paul  longed  to  be  there ; 
not  to  see  its  temples,  and  theatres,  and  statues,  the  wonders  of 
the  world.  It  was  not  to  show  off"  his  own  eloquence,  not  to  pub- 
lish some  new  work  to  gain  the  esteem  and  applause  of  the  Roman 
people.  It  was  to  preach  the  Gospel,  the  way  of  salvation  by  the 
righteousness  of  God.  "  I  am  determined  to  know  nothing  among 
you  but  Christ,  and  him  crucified." 
33 


514  SERMON   XC. 

3.  What  Paul  felt:  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ."  More  is  meant  in  these  words  than  is  expressed.  He 
does  not  mean  only  that  he  was  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel,  but  he 
gloried  in  it.  It  is  very  similar  lo  Gal.  vi.,  14 :  "  God  forbid  that 
i  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Two 
things  are  implied.  (1.)  That  he  was  not  ashamed  of  it  before 
God.  He  had  ventured  his  own  soul  on  this  way  of  salvation. 
He  could  say,  like  David,  "  This  is  all  my  salvation,  this  is  all  my 
desire."  The  way  of  salvation  by  Jehovah  our  Righteousness  was 
sweet  to  Paul.  His  soul  rested  there  with  great  delight.  He 
came  thus  to  God  in  secret,  thus  in  public,  thus  in  dying.  He 
hoped  to  stand  before  God  through  all  eternity  clothed  in  this  di- 
vine righteousness.  (2.)  That  he  was  not  ashamed  of  it  before 
men.  Though  all  the  world  had  been  against  him,  Paul  would 
have  gloried  in  this  way  of  salvation.  He  had  a  burning  desire 
to  make  it  known  to  other  men.  He  felt  it  so  sweet,  he  saw  it  to 
be  so  glorious,  that  he  could  have  desired  a  voice  so  loud  that  all 
men  might  hear  at  one  moment  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ. 

Men  would  laugh  at  the  idea  of  a  poor  worm  like  Paul  going 
to  subdue  mighty  "Rome  with  a  few  words  of  his  lips ;  but  Paul 
saw  such  a  divine  power  in  the  Gospel  that  he  was  not  ashamed 
of  it.  He  knew  it  could  break  the  hardest  heart,  and  bind  up  the 
most  broken.  The  learned  men  of  Rome  would  smile  at  the 
words  of  this  babbler ;  but  Paul  saw  such  wisdom  in  the  Gospel, 
that  all  human  wisdom  appeared  utter  folly  beside  it.  The  wick- 
edness of  Rome  reached  up  to  heaven,  it  was  a  continual  smoke  in 
God's  nostrils,  a  fire  that  burned  all  the  day ;  but  Paul  knew  that 
the  righteousness  of  God  could  cover  the  sin  of  a  thousand  Romes. 
He  saw  it  to  be  so  vast,  so  immense,  so  free,  so  surpassingly  glo- 
rious, so  divine,  that  it  could  flow  over  and  cover  the  sins  of  the 
greatest  sinner  in  Rome. 

I.  Reasons  why  worldly  men  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel. 

1.  Because  it  is  foolishness :  "  We  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto 
the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolishness." — 1 
Cor.  i.,  23.  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God :  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he 
know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned." — 1  Cor.  ii., 
14.  Unregenerate  men  cannot  comprehend  the  way  of  salvation 
by  the  righteousness  of  another.  It  appears  a  foolish  scheme. 
They  do  not  believe  it  is  in  the  Bible  at  all.  That  a  man  should 
enter  heaven  by  his  good  works  they  can  understand ;  this  is  agree- 
able to  the  pride  of  the  natural  heart ;  or  that  God  should  forget 
to  punish  sin,  and  admit  bad  and  good  into  heaven,  they  can  un- 
derstand this :  "  Thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  altogether  such  an 
one  as  thyself."  But  that  a  sinner  should  be  covered  with  the 
righteousness  of  another,  that  he  should  have  the  sufferings  and 
holy  life  of  another  person  laid  to  his  account,  so  as  to  cover  all 


SERMON    XC.  515 

his  sins,  this  is  utter  folly  to  worldly  men.  Therefore  so  many  of 
you  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  You  are  ashamed  to 
hear  it  preached  :  when  it  is  clearly  set  before  you,  you  despise  it 
in  your  heart.  You  are  ashamed  of  it  before  God.  You  do  not 
go  to  the  Father  this  way.  You  do  not  enter  into  the  holiest 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  You  do  not  enter  guilty  and  loathsome 
in  yourself,  wearing  only  the  obedience  of  One.  You  are  ashamed 
of  it  before  men,  ashamed  to  state  it  to  your  children  and  servants 
as  the  only  way  of  pardon  and  acceptance. 

2.  Because  of  the  messenger.  Once  when  Jesus  was  preaching 
in  his  own  country  they  said :  "  Is  not  this  the  carpenter,  the  son 
of  Mary,  the  brother  of  James,  and  Joses,  and  of  Juda,  and  Simon? 
and  are  not  his  sisters  here  with  us  ?  And  they  were  offended  at 
him." — Mark  vi.,  3.  When  Peter  and  John  were  before  the  Jew- 
ish Council,  it  is  said  :  "  They  perceived  that  they  were  unlearned 
and  ignorant  men." — Acts  iv.,  13.  When  Paul  preached  at  Athens, 
they  said  :  "  What  will  this  babbler  say  ?"  At  Corinth  they  said : 
"  His  bodily  presence  is  weak,  and  his  speech  contemptible." — 2 
Cor.  X.,  10.  So  it  is  still.  We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  ves- 
sels. Every  minister  I  know  has  got  some  painful  defect  about 
him.  Ungodly  men  always  stumble  at  this,  and  are  ashamed  of 
the  Gospel  because  of  the  weakness  of  those  who  carry  it. 

3.  Because  they  hate  its  holiness.  Here  is  the  main  reason  why 
unregenerate  men  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel — because  it  is  a 
holy-making  Gospel.  It  will  not  allow  men  to  live  on  in  their  sins 
If  Christ  had  come  to  save  men  in  their  sins  ;  to  pluck  them  from 
hell,  and  let  them  enjoy  their  lusts  ;  unregenerate  men  would  hail 
the  Gospel.  But  Jesus  is  a  holy  Saviour.  "  He  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  us  unto 
himself" — "  He  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins,"  He  first 
covers  the  soul  with  his  white  raiment,  then  makes'  the  soul  glorir 
ous  within ;  restores  the  lost  image  of  God,  and  fills  the  soul  with 
pure,  heavenly  holiness.  Unregenerate  men  among  you  cannot 
bear  this.  The  drunkard  among  you  says  :  Oh  !  he  will  take  me 
away  from  the  tavern  ;  the  swearer :  Oh  !  he  will  take  away  my 
darling  oaths ;  the  sensualist :  he  will  make  me  chaste  and  pure. 
Hence  your  malignity  against  the  Redeemer ;  hence  you  see  no 
form  nor  comeliness  in  Him  who  is  altogether  lovely.  You  are 
ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

II.  Reasons  why  believers  glory  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

1.  Because  of  its  power :  "  It  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion." To  ungodly  men  nothing  appears  more  weak  and  power- 
less than  the  Gospel.  They  regard  it  as  Lot's  sons-in-law  did  his 
solemn  warning  :  "  He  seemed  as  one  that  mocked  to  his  sons-in- 
law."  It  appears  an  idle  tale  ;  an  old  wife's  fable  ;  but  it  is  in 
reality  "the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  The  Gospel  is  an 
amazing  weapon  when  God  wields  it :  "  The  weapons  of  our  war- 


516  SERMON   XC. 

fare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of 
strongholds."  When  God  wields  the  Gospel  it  is  mighty  to  awaken 
the  hardest  hearts.  Paul  felt  this  in  his  own  experience.  He  was 
a  proud  blasphemer,  persecutor,  and  injurious  ;  a  proud,  self-right- 
eous Pharisee.  You  would  have  said  :  Nothing  in  the  world  can 
awaken  that  man.  Jesus  revealed  himself  to  him,  and  he  fell  to 
the  ground,  trembling  and  astonished.  So  he  had  seen  it  in  the 
case  of  others  ;  in  Lydia,  and  the  jailer  ;  in  Sergius  Paulus,  the 
deputy  of  Cyprus  :  "  He  believed  being  astonished  at  the  doctrine 
of  the  Lord." — Acts  xiii.,  12.  "The  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion !"  not  God's  mighty  arm  to  destroy,  but  his  mighty  arm  to 
save.  He  knew  it  would  have  the  same  power  on  every  one  that 
believed,  whether  Jew  or  Greek.  The  obstinate  heart  of  the  Jew, 
and  the  proud  heart  of  the  Greek,  would  both  be  broken  under  the 
sharp  blade  of  the  Gospel. 

No  wonder  Paul  went  so  boldly  to  Rome,  when  he  had  such  a 
weapon  in  his  hand.  He  knew  that  the  hearts  of  the  Romans 
were  hard  as  adamant,  proud  as  Lucifer,  and  full  of  lusts  as  hell  is 
full  of  foul  spirits ;  he  knew  that  Satan  held  that  proud  city  in  his 
arms  ;  yet  still  here  was  a  power — the  simple  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus — by  which  God  could  bring  low  the  proudest  and  hardest, 
to  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  clothed  and  in  their  right  mind.  This 
"s  what  enables  us  to  continue  preaching  among  you.  I  have  now 
some  experience  of  the  hardness  of  your  hearts,  and  that  it  is 
easier  to  create  a  world  than  to  convert  one  of  your  souls  ;  but  the 
Gospel  is  "  the  power  of  God,"  and  I  do  not  despair  of  the  con- 
version of  any  one  of  you.  God  is  able  to  do  it  through  this 
mighty  Gospel ;  "  for  with  God  nothing  shall  be  impossible." 

O  brethren  !  have  you  felt  the  power  of  the  Gospel  ?  Has  the 
Gospel  come  to  you  not  in  word  only,  but  in  power,  and  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance  ?  Has  it  broken  your  heart, 
and  bound  it  up  ?  Mighty  Gospel !  it  alone  can  save.  Awakened 
sinner !  the  Gospel  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believeth."  Though  you  may  have  the  sins  of  the  Jew 
and  the  Greek,  there  is  enough  in  Jesus  to  cover  all.  Though 
your  heart  is  hard,  God  is  able,  through  this  mighty  Gospel,  to 
subdue  it. 

2.  Because  of  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  in  it.  This 
reason  springs  out  of  the  preceding.  It  is  the  power  of  God : 
"  for  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed."  It  is  this 
righteousness  which  gives  it  all  its  power  ;  makes  it  so  attractive 
to  sinners — so  pacifying  to  the  troubled  conscience.  "  The  right- 
eousness of  God  "  is  just  the  sufferings  and  obedience  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  who  was  God,  freely  offered  to  cover  sinners.  The  suf- 
ferings of  Christ,  from  the  manger  in  Bethlehem  to  the  cross  of 
Calvary,  were  all  sufferings  of  one  who  was  God :  "  Unto  us  a 
child  is  born  ;  unto  us  a  son  is  given  ;  and  the  government  shall 
be  upon  his  shoulder ;  and  his  name  shall  be  called  the  Wonderful, 


SERMON  XC.  517 

Counsellor,  The  Mighty  God,  The  Everlasting  Father,  The  Prince 
of  Peace" — "Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  shepherd,  and  against 
the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  The  blood 
of  Christ  is  called  the  blood  of  God. — Acts  xx.,  28.  It  was  this 
that  gave  infinite  value  to  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  The  dying  of 
one  holy  man  might  have  stood  for  the  dying  of  one  sinner,  if  God 
had  so  pleased  ;  but  it  needed  the  dying  of  one  who  was  God,  to 
stand  for  the  dying  of  many  sinners.  The  obedience  of  Christ, 
from  infancy  to  death,  was  all  the  obedience  of  one  who  was  God. 
His  divine  will  agreed  with  his  holy  human  will  in  every  act  of 
obed'ience.  His  obedience  to  parents  is  the  obedience  of  God ; 
his  prayers  were  the  prayers  of  God  ;  his  tears  the  tears  of  God ; 
his  holy  thoughts,  the  thoughts  of  God ;  his  holy  actions,  the  ac- 
tions of  God — his  whole  obedience  is  divine.  It  has  divine  per- 
fection in  it.  It  has  a  divine  fulness  and  excellence  which  no 
other  obedience  ever  had,  or  can  have  :  it  is  "  the  righteousness  of 
God."  This  is  what  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel — offered  freely  to 
every  creature,  to  cover  sin,  and  justify  before  God. 

This  was  what  nerved  the  arm  of  Paul.  He  knew  that  he  was 
carrying  this  glorious  righteousness  into  the  view  of  sinners. 
What  though  the  men  of  Rome  were  covered  up  to  heaven  with 
innumerable  sins  ;  he  knew  that  this  glorious  righteousness  was 
enough  to  cover  all. 

O  brethren  !  it  is  this  we  come  to  offer  you  this  day  ;  a  righteous- 
ness so  vast  that  it  is  able  to  cover  you  divinely.  For  every  sin 
of  yours  here  is  a  stripe  in  Jesus.  For  the  sins  of  infancy,  here 
are  the  sufferings  of  his  infancy  ;  for  the  sins  of  youth,  here 
are  the  sufferings  of  his  youth  ;  for  the  sins  of  manhood,  here  are 
the  sufferings  of  his  manhood.  For  your  infinite  dishonor  done  to 
the  law  of  God,  here  is  infinite  honor  done  to  the  law.  His  obe- 
dience is  divine  obedience.  For  your  unholy  life,  here  is  his 
divinely  holy  life  to  cover  you.  Here  are  his  divinely  holy 
thoughts  to  cover  your  unholy  thoughts ;  here  are  his  holy  words, 
to  cover  your  unholy  words  ;  his  holy  actions,  to  cover  your  un- 
holy actions.  There  is  something  infinitely  vast  and  glorious  in 
the  righteousness  of  God.  When  the  deluge  covered  the  earth,  it 
covered  the  highest  mountains.  Looking  down  from  above,  not 
one  mountain-top  could  be  seen,  but  a  vast  world  of  waters  ;  a 
vast  plain  reflecting  the  beams  of  the  sun.  So  if  you  this  day  lie 
down  under  the  righteousness  of  God,  the  mountains  of  your  sins 
will  not  be  seen,  but  only  the  vast,  deep,  glorious  righteousness  of 
your  God  and  Saviour.  If  you  were  to  cast  a  stone  into  the 
deepest  part  of  the  ocean,  it  would  be  lost  and  swallowed  up  by 
the  deep  waves  of  ocean  ;  so  when  a  sinner  is  cast  down  under 
the  righteousness  of  God,  he  is  as  it  were  lost  and  swallowed  up 
in  Christ. 

A  righteousness  so  free — ''  from  faith  to  faith  !"  The  meaning 
of  this  is,  that  it  is  received  by  faith  alone.     If  a  man  would  give 


518  SERMON   XC. 

all  the  substance  of  his  house  for  this  righteousness  of  God,  it 
would  be  utterly  contemned.  It  is  "  without  money  and  without 
price."  Christ  offers  himself  freely  to  each  of  you,  to  be  Jehovah 
your  righteousness. 

St.  Peter's,  Oct.  16,  1842  —(Action  Sermon.) 


2365TC,„  632 

03-03-05  32180     HS 


Princeton  Theoloaical  Seminary  Libraries 


1    1012  01255   1000 


